"assault"

The court upheld the conviction and 10 years' imprisonment awarded to Santosh Atkar (35), a resident of Pandharpur in Solapur district, by a local court in 2016.

Preliminary investigation suggested that the minor was assaulted and then killed to destroy evidence.

The verdict said that groping a minor's breast without "skin to skin contact" cannot be termed as sexual assault as defined under the POCSO Act.

The victim's brother has been brought to the incident site where the CBI team is carrying out the investigation.

"The UP government claims that the journalist has links with some groups but has not offered any proof in this regard."