Kerala Cricket Coach Sentenced to 35 Years for Sexually Assaulting Student
The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court, presided over by Special Judge Anju Meera Birla, has sentenced Manu M., a 40-year-old cricket coach, to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a female student. The court also imposed a fine of ₹66,000 on him.
If he fails to pay the fine, he will have to serve an additional six years and nine months in prison. This sentence pertains to the second sexual abuse case registered against him. The court also found him guilty in a third case under similar circumstances, with the sentence to be pronounced on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
In total, six cases were registered against the accused. Trials for four of these cases have been completed. The judgment specifies that the sentence for the second case will begin only after the prison term for the first case is completed.
The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor R.S. Vijay Mohan, argued under Section 427 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) that the sentences for each case should run consecutively, after the preceding term expires. The court accepted this argument while delivering the sentencing order.
According to the prosecution, the survivor in the second case had been attending a cricket coaching centre in Thiruvananthapuram since 2018. The accused sexually abused her under the pretext of training. The case was investigated by the Cantonment police.
