New Delhi: “Now beta, live your life, go to school, make friends, laugh, play, dream. This Court will always remember your courage.”
The incident dates back to July 23, 2023, when the child, then aged seven, was raped by Shakya. In the July 2026 sentencing order, Judge Ranga departed from the formal language of a judgment to directly address the child, expressing admiration for her courage in coming forward, telling her mother what had happened and accompanying her to court.
Upholding the life sentence of a rape convict, Delhi High Court has directed District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), North West Delhi, to print the message of “encouragement” — penned by a sessions judge earlier this year — and hand it over to the 10-year-old survivor. The trial court convicted him in May this year and sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.
The bench of Justices Pratibha M Singh and Dinesh Bhatt, who appreciated the post script written by Additional Sessions Judge Rajani Ranga of the Rohini court complex, in the Sept 22 order, also directed compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh to be awarded to the child’s family.
“Before parting, this Court must address the child victim – not in the formal language of a judgment but as a judge who has heard her voice, who has read her words, and who has been moved by her courage,” said Judge Ranga. DLSA has now been given two weeks to comply with the court’s direction and file a status report on the compensation for the family.
The direction came while HC was hearing an appeal filed by convict Sumit Shakya against his life sentence in a case registered at Budh Vihar police station, under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, dealing with crimes of rape of underaged female and criminal intimidation, and offence of aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Pocso Act . The court dismissed Shakya’s plea after considering the evidence on record, including forensic evidence.