Man gets 7-yr RI for sexually assaulting minor

New Delhi, October 15

A court here awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) to a 35-year-old school van driver for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

The court observed that the convict must be awarded such a sentence to discourage other “like-minded people” in society from committing such offences. The seriousness of the offence lies not in the extent of punishment it carries, but in the impact it has on the social psyche and public order, it said.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Susheel Bala Dagar was hearing a case against Anuj, who was convicted under Section 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the prosecution, Anuj was the driver of the victim’s school van and committed aggravated sexual assault on her. He also threatened to kill the girl in case she disclosed his act to her family members, it said.

ASJ Dagar said there was no ground to show leniency towards the convict as he, despite having children, committed such a “disgusting assault” on the child.

“Taking into consideration the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, including the gravity of the offence, the age of the minor victim and the convict, the family condition of the convict and the victim and social and economic factors governing them, convict Anuj is sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for the offence punishable under Section 10 of the POCSO Act,” the court said in an order passed on October 10.

It said the convict’s act was a “ridiculous form of enjoyment” for him, but a mental torture for the victim, who was alone with the convict in the van at the time of the incident.

The court said zero tolerance towards crimes against children is the need of the hour.

Due to this incident, the victim and her family members were subjected to humiliation. “The incident has left a grave impact on her mental, physical and emotional being for which she needs financial support,” the court said, awarding the victim a compensation of Rs 3 lakh.