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Minor’s rape case: Yamunanagar court awards life term to her mother, ‘priest’
The 17-year-old survivor had submitted a complaint to the police on August 26, 2020, that the incident took place when she was in Class 12. She claimed that it happened in December 2019 when she had a stomach ache. A Yamunanagar court awarded life term to her mother and the ‘priest’ in the rape case
A fast-track court in Yamunanagar on Wednesday sentenced a purported priest and a 41-year-old woman to life imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh each in a rape case of a minor in 2020.
The convict was identified as Satish Kumar, 45, a resident of Karnal, and the woman is the mother of the survivor.
As per the case files, the 17-year-old survivor had submitted a complaint to the police on August 26, 2020, that the incident took place when she was in Class 12. She claimed that it happened in December 2019 when she had a stomach ache.
“Her parents took her to the doctor and after an ultrasound examination it was found that she has a stone and a tumor in her stomach. Thereafter, her mother told her that Satish, who organises religious ceremonies, can cure her and on December 21, he will come to a temple. Her mother told her to meet Satish and asked her to do whatever he asks her to do,” the complaint states.
The girl went to the temple where she met Satish and on the pretext of examination, she was raped. It was also alleged that the girl was threatened that if disclosed it to anyone, her father and brother would be killed.
“She got scared but she informed about this to her mother, but her mother said that whatever Satish is doing is for her betterment. Thereafter, every Saturday and Sunday her mother used to take her to him. Her mother has to light an earthen lamp at night and, therefore, she dropped the girl to the house of her maternal grandfather,” the chargesheet read.
It was also told to the court that at the house, the girl’s aunt, who also knows the priest, used to send her to Satish, who used to rape her.
“She stayed there for four days and the accused kept developing physical relations with her against her wishes and also threatened her with dire consequences. She used to remain upset. When her father asked the reason, she disclosed the entire thing to him,” it added.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under Sections 506 of the IPC and Sections 6 and 17 of the POCSO Act. Two days later, Satish and her mother were arrested.
The aunt had, however, undergone a polygraph test during the trial and was discharged due to the lack of evidence, an official familiar with the development said.
District attorney Dharam Chand said the court of additional sessions judge (fast-track special court) Sundeep Singh sentenced the man to RI for life and a fine of ₹1 lakh under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, RI for 10 years under Section 376(2)(n) of the IPC and a fine of ₹20,000 and two years RI under Section 506 of the IPC, stating that all the sentences shall run concurrently.
The woman was also sentenced to RI for life and a fine of ₹1 lakh under Section 17 of the POCSO Act.
