E-Paper
Chandigarh: Man who raped 15-year-old in car awarded 20-year rigorous imprisonment
On September 30, 2019, the accused had picked the girl up from her house and driven to the Ram Darbar dispensary, where he locked the car and raped her, before dropping her back home
A man who had raped a 15-year-old girl in his car in Ram Darbar in 2019 has been sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) by a fast-track court.
On September 30, 2019, the convict, Kulbir Singh, who was 24 at the time of the offence, had called the girl, who was acquainted with him for the past two-three months, to meet him around 2-2.30 am for some help.
The accused had picked the girl up from her house and driven to the Ram Darbar dispensary, where he locked the car and raped her, before dropping her back home.
After the girl informed her parents and subsequently the police, the accused was arrested the same day.
A case under Section 376 (3) (rape on a woman under 16 years of age) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 4 (penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against him at the Sector-31 police station.
Claiming he was not guilty, Kulbir opted for trial.
In court, he pleaded for leniency, citing that his parents were old and he was the only family member available to take care of them.
But the court observed, “The draconian effect of sexual assault defies the physical dignity of a child and creates a shadow of fear in the social fabric shattering the reposition of trust and faith in the fellow beings. The scars of sexual attempt in any of its manifestations haunt the victim for life. Such an abhorrent act on behalf of the accused does not augur well with our ethos and calls for stringent punishment.”
As such, the court sentenced the convict to 20-year RI and also imposed a fine of ₹20,000 for offences under Section 376 (3) of the IPC. Similar punishment and fine were awarded for offences under Section 4 of the POCSO Act. Both sentences will run concurrently and in compliance with Section 376(3) of the IPC, the court ordered that ₹20,000 of the fine be paid to the girl.
