Court sentences man to 20 years jail for raping a minor
Oct 08, 2024
New Delhi [India], October 8 : Delhi's Tis Hazari Court has recently granted an imprisonment of 20 years in a case under POCSO for repeatedly raping and impregnating a 14 years old girl after giving her intoxicated drink in 2019.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Preeti Parewa sentenced the convict Akash to imprisonment of 20 Year under POCSO and imposed a fine of Rs. 50000.
Additionally, the court also sentenced the Convict to imprisonment of 7 years under section 328 of IPC and imposed a fine of Rs. 20000.
The court has awarded a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the victim. It observed that the monetary compensation for the redressal of wrong was the victim's fundamental right.
The court held that the testimonies of prosecution witnesses conclusively proved that the convict administered a stupefying, intoxicating or unwholesome drug to the victim after mixing it in her food, water or curd and then committed rape or aggravated penetrative sexual assault upon her on unknown dates and time, because of which she became pregnant.
"The act of the convict is bound to have serious consequences upon the mental and physical health of the victim from which it would be very difficult to recover and lead a normal life," Special Judge Priti Pareva said in the judgement.
The court had Convicted Akash in September under section 328 (causing hurt by means of poison etc. with intent to commit an offence) and section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
During the arguements on sentence, the Additional Public Prosecutor Vineet Dahiya sought maximum punishment for the convict.
"Monetary compensation for the redressal of wrong is the fundamental right of the victim. It is the victim who is affected the most by the crime and the object of granting compensation is to alleviate the victim's sufferings, to make the loss easier to bear and restore the dignity of her family," the court said in order passed on September 25.
The court said that the purpose of the criminal justice system is not only to achieve catharsis by handing down proportional punishment to the offender but also to rehabilitate the victim, who is scarred physically and mentally, forever.
