60-year-old man sentenced to 12 years for raping minor

The court on January 16 also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the convict, to be given to the victim as compensation.

While sentencing the accused, Special Judge (POCSO) Sushil Bala Dagar said, "Children are falling victim to sexual offences done by their family member, relative, neighbour, teacher, acquaintance, etc. Being innocent of their age; both boys and girls are abused."

"In a patriarchal society as in our country, everyone is quick to blame the victim child involved in any such incident of penetrative sexual assault by the culprit for illicit intercourse. Rather, it is the convict on whom full blame ought to lie as he, despite being a neighbour is responsible for the heinous crime with the victim child," the court said in an order passed on January 16.

"The sexual offence may be an isolated act for the convict, however, the said act deeply impacts the life of an innocent child," the special judge said in the order.

The court said that it is the responsibility of society as a whole to take care of its children and to protect them from their physiological and psychological exploitation at the hands of the sexual abusers. The children of the present day are the future of society. The interests of vulnerable children need to be protected in order to have a healthy, developed, and vibrant society.

The convict, in the present case has been held liable to be punished under section 6 POCSO Act and u/s 376 (2)(i) IPC, for having committed penetrative sexual assault upon the victim, the court said.

Additional Public Prosecutor Yogita Kaushik assisted by the Counsel for DCW has contended that the convict should be granted maximum punishment so that like-minded persons in the society are deterred from committing such heinous and despicable offences.

She submitted that the accused has been convicted for the offence u/s 6 POCSO Act and Section 376(2)(i) IPC (as in force prior to amendment dated 21.04.2018) committed against victim, a minor girl aged about 14 years and 07 months.

The victim child gave birth to a new born baby whom she had put in a polypack and left on the street, where the new born was found by a passer-by. She submits that even though the victim child was won over by the convict at the time of her deposition, however, the medical evidence, FSL result and the entire prosecution version show that the convict had influenced the victim child as he was already helping the family of the victim child financially, Kaushik submitted.

She further stated that there is no belying the fact that the victim suffered pain, faced hardships, disappointment and inconvenience including anxiety and depression and emotional harm for which she needs to be compensated. (ANI)