Ambala man who raped 15-year-old to spend 20 years in jail

Shashi, a resident of Ambala, was convicted under Section 4 (2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and also fined ₹10,000

Over two years after an Ambala resident raped a 15-year-old girl in May 2020, a fast-track court on Tuesday sentenced him to 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI).

Notably, the 15-year-old girl was declared hostile, as she did not support the prosecution version. (HT)

Identified as Shashi, he was convicted under Section 4 (2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and also fined ₹10,000.

While the defence appealed for a lenient view as his father had passed away, his mother remained ill and he had recently gotten married, the public prosecutor argued that the heinous act committed by him did not deserve any leniency.

Pronouncing the judgment, the court of additional sessions judge Aarti Singh said, “He committed penetrative sexual assault with victim who was 15 years and 3 months old...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 her,” the order read.