A special judge at the Exclusive POCSO Act Main Court in Varanasi has sentenced a juvenile, tried as an adult, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a four-year-old girl. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, underscores the legal system’s response to serious crimes against minors under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which aims to provide stringent measures against child sexual abuse.
The court found the offender guilty under Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 5(m)/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The accused was 17-and-a-half years old at the time of the incident. Special Public Prosecutor Santosh Kumar Singh said the case was registered on the basis of a written complaint filed by a local resident on March 19, 2020.
The child was found bleeding in an agriculture field behind her house and the accused was seen fleeing from the spot, according to the complaint. Special Judge Nitin Pandey delivered the judgment in a case registered at Badagaon police station. He was chased and caught with the help of locals and handed over to police.
It further ordered that 70% of the fine amount be paid to the victim as compensation. The court also directed that the primary responsibility for payment of the fine would rest with the offender’s natural guardians, his parents.
The court sentenced the offender to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment under Sections 5(m)/6 of the POCSO Act, read with Section 376AB of the IPC, and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. During the trial, the prosecution examined nine key witnesses. The court relied on witness testimonies, the medico-legal report and the forensic science laboratory report, holding that the prosecution had proved the offence beyond reasonable doubt. In case of non-payment, he will have to undergo an additional two years of simple imprisonment.