In Mathura, man awarded death sentence within 50 days of sodomising, killing minor boy

A native of Kanpur, Saif was living in Mathura. The accused is married and has a two-year-old daughter .

AGRA A 28-year-old man, identified as Mohd Saif, has been given the death sentence for sodomising and killing a minor boy in Mathura. The verdict -- pronounced by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Court on Monday -- comes within 50 days of the horrific crime. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict.

For representation only (HT Photo)

Sharing further details, Alka Upmanyu, Special District Government Counsel (SDGC) in Pocso Court, said, “A nine-year-old boy was found missing on the evening of April 8 from his house in Aurangabad area in Mathura. The father of the missing child got a complaint lodged at the Sadar police station of Mathura. Later, the CCTV footage revealed that the missing boy was seen for the last time with accused Saif, who worked at the shop run by the victim’s uncle. Based on evidence, Saif (28) was arrested by Sadar police. After confession by the accused, police found the dead body of the nine-year-old from a drain.”

The SDGC added, “While in police custody, the accused confessed to having sexually assaulted the boy. Subsequently, Saif strangulated him to death.” The accused is married and has a two-year-old daughter as well.

Saif was booked under sections 363 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 201 (damaging evidence), 377 (unnatural intercourse), and section 06 (Aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act of 2012. A native of Kanpur, Saif was living in Mathura, added Alka Upmanyu.

“The Court of Special Judge (Pocso Court), Ram Kishore Yadav, gave the verdict on Monday. The accused was convicted for death sentence under section 6 of the Pocso Act. The court also ordered life imprisonment and a penalty of ₹50,000 for charges of murder, 10-year rigorous imprisonment and a penalty of ₹20,000 for charges of sodomy, 5-year rigorous imprisonment and a penalty of ₹20,000 for kidnapping, and rigorous punishment of seven years and penalty of ₹20,000 for damaging evidence,” said the Special DGC. The court has also ordered to provide 80% of the penalty amount paid by the accused to the parents of the victim boy.

Notably, the Pocso Court in Mathura has earned a reputation for speedy handling of cases. Earlier, in February 2023, the same court of Additional Session Judge and Special Judge Pocso Act at Mathura, Vipin Kumar, had sentenced a man who raped a minor girl to life imprisonment within 40 days of the Mathura court filing the chargesheet.

Previously, on December 9, 2022, the Additional Session Judge and Special Judge (Pocso Act) at Mathura, Vipin Kumar, had ordered another death sentence. A rape-murder accused in Mathura was sentenced within 26 days of the trial.