Man sentenced to life in prison for raping seven-month-old girl in Greater Noida

The convict was also fined ₹50,000 under Section 6 of Pocso Act, with the judge ruling that 90% of the fine imposed on the convict is to be paid to the father of the victim for meeting medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim

A Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court in Surajpur, Greater Noida, has sentenced a 47-year-old man on Monday to rigorous life imprisonment for the rape of a seven-month-old baby in Dankaur on July 6, 2022. The victim had sustained critical injuries to her private parts in the sexual assault and is still undergoing treatment, the court was informed.

The victim had sustained critical injuries in the sexual assault and is still undergoing treatment, the court was informed. (Shutterstock/representational image)

JP Bhati, special public prosecutor, said the child was with her grandfather on a cot in the verandah of her home in Dankaur village, when the suspect Manoj reached there. “Manoj asked the child’s grandfather for a matchbox to light his bidi. When the man went inside the house to fetch the matchbox, the suspect sexually assaulted the child and critically injured her,” he said.

When the grandfather returned, Manoj had fled the spot, leaving the bleeding infant behind.

Manoj tried to escape but was caught by locals who handed him over to police.

The child was brought to Bhangel Community Health Centre for examination. Dr Kajal Jain, emergency medical officer, in her report, said the child had a wide open laceration wound of 5cm in the private parts. Dr Richa Mishra, another doctor, said the child was crying in pain and bleeding. A surgery was conducted to stitch up her wounds.

The victim’s father, who was at work at the time of the assault, received information from his family members and rushed to the spot. He then filed an FIR at Dankaur police station.

The suspect Manoj was produced before the court and sent to judicial custody. A charge-sheet was filed against him on July 11, 2022.

The prosecution made a strong case and produced 12 witnesses including the victim’s parents, sister, grandfather, doctors, and police personnel, leading to Manoj’s conviction.

Manoj’s counsel Kedar Yadav and Brajesh Solanki produced two defence witnesses who said Manoj had given ₹4 lakh as a loan to the victim’s grandfather. “That day, when Manoj and we reached there to demand the money back. The grandfather refused to return the money and this led to an argument. Some local people gathered there and caught Manoj. We left the place while Manoj was booked and jailed,” they said.

The court relied on the medical evidence and testimonies of the witnesses and convicted Manoj on Monday. “The penetrative sexual offence upon the body of a seven-month-old is an offence that is extremely heinous in nature and speaks a lot about the mental status of the convict. The act of convict was so brutal that even months after the incident, the victim has not fully recovered and is undergoing treatment. Hence, in the opinion of this court, the convict does not deserve leniency,” Vikas Nagar, special judge, Pocso court, said in a 24-page order.

“Manoj is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life and fined ₹50,000 under Section 6 of Pocso Act. Ninety percent of the fine imposed on the convict shall be paid to the father of the victim for meeting medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim,” he said.