Minor tried as adult gets 20 years in jail for raping three-year-old girl

A Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court has sentenced a youth to 20 years’ rigourous imprisonment for raping a three-year-old girl in Dadri, Gautam Budh Nagar, in 2020 when he was 16 years old

A Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court has sentenced a youth to 20 years’ rigourous imprisonment for raping a three-year-old girl in Dadri, Gautam Budh Nagar, in 2020 when he was 16 years old. The minor was tried as an adult on the recommendation of the juvenile justice board (JJB).

The 16-year-old boy was arrested by the police on the same day as the incident and sent to an observation home.

On January 28, Chandra Mohan Srivastava, additional sessions judge (Pocso 2) convicted the juvenile on charges of rape and charges under Pocso Act.

Later on February 8, the judge sentenced the youth to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fine of ₹40,000, “The three-year-old victim was raped in an aggravated penetrative sexual assault by the juvenile. Not only has the juvenile committed a social crime of extremely heinous nature, but also a crime which brings shame to society and tarnishes mutual trust and confidence,” the judge said.

According to JP Bhati, special public prosecutor, the incident took place on June 3, 2020. The victim’s father filed a police complaint stating that between 10am and 11am, his three-year-old daughter had gone to her neighbour’s house for tuitions.

After reporting the incident to the police, a medical examination of the child was carried out and an FIR was registered at the Dadri police station under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Pocso Act and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, said the special public prosecutor.

The 16-year-old boy was arrested by the police the same day and sent to an observation home.

“The JJB declared the suspect a juvenile on July 13. Later on September 5, after a preliminary determination, he was recommended to be tried as adult and a report was sent to the Pocso court after which the minor was tried as an adult for the offence,” said JP Bhati.