E-Paper
Five convicts get five-yr jail for forcing minor into prostitution
The 15-year-old minor had gone missing from her house in December 2021, prompting her mother to approach the police
A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court awarded a five-year jail term to five people guilty of forcing a minor into prostitution while acquitting a woman accused in the 2022 case.
The 15-year-old minor had gone missing from her house in December 2021, prompting her mother to approach the police. A few days later, the girl was rescued and sent to a shelter home, where she revealed to counsellors that some people living in the neighbourhood had forced her into prostitution.
The girl said she had gone to her aunt’s house in the neighbourhood to find work, where a woman lured her with the offer of a high-paying job. She was then forced into prostitution and met many clients who sexually assaulted her for at least two months. She shared her ordeal with a school friend, who also assaulted her.
Based on her statements, six persons, Chanchal Chauhan, Poonam Jain, Suman Dhunna, Raj Rani, Ravinder Singh and Sumitra, were booked under sections 363/366 (kidnapping), 376 (3) (rape) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, and Sections 4, 5 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.
On Tuesday, the court acquitted Poonam Jain for lack of evidence and convicted others under the Immoral Trafficking Act.
While Ravinder was convicted under section 5, all others were convicted under sections 4 and 5 of the Act. A fine of ₹2,000 has been imposed on Ravinder and ₹3,000 on all others.
