The Rohini Court in Delhi has handed down a 12-year rigorous jail sentence to a man for kidnapping and raping his minor niece. The case dates back to an FIR lodged in the Ashok Vihar police station in 2017.
The court presided over by Special (POCSO) Judge Sushil Bala Dagar, convicted the man under section 6 of the POCSO Act, sentencing him to 12 years in prison. Additionally, he was sentenced to 10 years for kidnapping under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and seven years for kidnapping under section 363 of the IPC. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 65,000 for all offences. Furthermore, the court awarded a compensation of Rs 10.50 lakh to the victim, a 24-year-old married woman with three children. The court emphasized that the victim had been subjected to aggravated penetrative sexual assault and mental, physical, and emotional trauma, leading to humiliation and insult from society.
The court recognized that the incident had a profound impact on the victim’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being, necessitating financial support. The court highlighted the importance of protecting children from sexual offences, particularly those committed by family members or known persons. It emphasized that society has a collective responsibility to safeguard children from physiological and psychological exploitation by sexual abusers, ensuring a healthy, developed, and vibrant society for the future.
