19-year-old jailed for 10 years for raping minor in Chandigarh

In September 2017, the victim’s brother filed a complaint that his sister had been abducted by unidentified persons.

A local court on Tuesday awarded 10-year jail to a 19-year-old youth in Chandigarh for raping a 17-year-old girl in 2017. The court of additional district and sessions judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Naseem Ali of Hyderabad.

Image for representation

The court had acquitted Arun Kumar alias Rehan of Chandigarh in the same case. The duo was booked under Sections 363 (abduction), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 376-D (gang rape), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Naseem Ali was convicted under POCSO here on Tuesday.

In September 2017, the victim’s brother filed a complaint that his sister had been abducted by unidentified persons. The accused and the victim returned to Chandigarh after 45 days. Arun then called the family members of the girl and told them that she was with them. The family informed the police and the accused were arrested. The medical examination of the victim confirmed rape.

Victim’s conflicting versions

The victim wrote to the Punjab and Haryana high court in which she stated that she had gone to Hyderabad on her own and she lived as the wife of Naseem Ali for 45 days.

But then during the trial, the victim in the court stated that the accused Arun Kumar had forcibly taken her to Delhi and then to Hyderabad. The victim had alleged that in Hyderabad Naseem Ali and Arun Kumar raped her. However, she managed to escape and came home.