E-Paper
Ambala: Man gets 20-year jail for sexually assaulting a minor
The man, who was convicted under Section 4 (2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, was also fined ₹10,000 by the court of additional sessions judge Aarti Singh.
Over three years after an Ambala resident raped a 15-year-old girl in August 2019, a fast-track court on Wednesday sentenced him to 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI).
The man, who was convicted under Section 4 (2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, was also fined ₹10,000 by the court of additional sessions judge Aarti Singh.
While the defence appealed for a lenient view citing his younger brother’s death and father’s paralysis, the public prosecutor argued that the heinous act did not deserve any leniency and sought maximum punishment.
Pronouncing the judgment, the court said, “He committed penetrative sexual assault with victim who was about 15 years and 4 months old i.e. less than 16 years of age. It took place on August 29, 2019 and an FIR was lodged on September 3. POCSO Act was amended with effect from August 16, 2019… since penetrative sexual assault was committed on a child below 16 years of age, convict is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment of 20 years.”
Notably, the minor was declared hostile, as she did not support the prosecution version.
“Thus, keeping in view the circumstance, the court is not inclined to grant any compensation to the victim,” the order read.
