Chandigarh man gets 20-year jail for raping minor

A fast track special court has sentenced a person to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) in a POCSO and rape case registered three years ago. The court has acquitted two other accused in the case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50, 000 on the convict. The court passed the order rejecting the plea of leniency of the convict.

An FIR was registered against the three accused under Sections 376 (2) (n) & 506 of the IPC and Section 6 of POCSO Act on March 30, 2022, on a complaint of a minor. In the complaint, the victim told the police that she was in relationship with the accused who developed physical relations with her. However, the accused broke the relationship after getting the knowledge that she was pregnant. During the investigation, the accused was arrested.

After completion of the investigation, the police filed a chargesheet against the accused. Finding a prime facie case, the court framed the charges against the accused to which they pleaded not guilty.

After hearing the argument, the court said as per the CFSL report, the accused is the biological father of male foetus of the victim. Since, the victim was minor, so her consent was immaterial and the accused was liable to be convicted accordingly. The court sentenced the accused to undergo 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court said the prosecution failed to prove the allegations against the other two accused and they were liable to be acquitted of the charges. The court has also recommended a Rs 4,00,000 compensation to the victim through the District Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh, under the Victim Compensation Scheme.