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Chandigarh: 20-yr rigorous imprisonment for teen who repeatedly raped minor
Raju of Mauli Jagran village, Chandigarh, was also fined ₹20,000 and ₹5,000 for raping a 16-year-old girl in 2022 by the fast-track special court
A 19-year-old youth who had raped a 16-year-old girl in 2022 has been sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment by a fast-track special court.
Observing that the deplorable act of the convict was not an offence against the victim or her family, but against the entire society, the fast-track special court judge Dr Yashika sentenced Raju of Mauli Complex, Mauli Jagran village, to 20-year RI under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and one-year RI under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The convict was also fined ₹20,000 and ₹5,000, respectively, under both charges. Both sentences will run concurrently.
As per the complainant, she was a school student and developed friendly relations with the accused. In June 2022, he called her to his house and raped her, while threatening her against revealing the incident to anyone.
Under threat, he called her to his house many times thereon and raped her repeatedly.
Eventually, she confided in her mother, who approached the police. Following this, a case under Sections 376 (2)(n) and 506 of the IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act was registered at the Mauli Jagran police station on July 25, 2022.
As the trial began, the prosecution examined 11 witnesses to substantiate its case.
In his statement, the accused pleaded that he was innocent. He claimed that he knew the victim, but had never met her in any room.
He alleged that he was falsely implicated with the intention to extort ₹5 lakh from his family. However, the court ruled that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing the case beyond shadow of any substantial doubt.
“The saplings of innocent years of childhood are undoubtedly required to be nurtured with love and affection, manuring the same with tremendous care, instilling a sense of security, safety in the minor child to enable them to blossom into a responsible citizen of society. In the present matter, the convict by his heinous and deplorable act has instilled fear and insecurity in the mind of the minor child. The deplorable act of convict is not an offence against the victim or her family, but against the entire society. Such abhorrent act on behalf of the convict does not augur well with our ethos,” ruled the court while convicting Raju.
When the quantum of sentence was pronounced, Raju pleaded for leniency, citing that he was the sole caretaker of his aged parents. But showing no leniency, the court sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 20 years.
The court also recommended the case to District Legal Services Authority for award of ₹4-lakh compensation under the victim compensation scheme.
