Delhi Court Sentences Private Security Guard To 20 Years In Jail For Raping Minor

New Delhi: A court here has sentenced a private security guard to rigorous imprisonment of 20 years for repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl in 2021, saying undue sympathy shown to a convict by imposing an inadequate sentence would harm the criminal justice system.

Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar was hearing the arguments on sentencing against the 32-year-old man, who was convicted earlier this month under the penal provisions of rape and Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Additional Public Prosecutor Yogita Kaushik Dahiya said the convict did not deserve any leniency for his abominable act of kidnapping, committing repeated penetrative sexual assault and threatening the girl in March 2021.

In its verdict dated April 15, the court cited a 2015 Supreme Court verdict, according to which, "Undue sympathy by imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system by undermining the public confidence in the efficacy of the law." It also cited another 2006 apex court verdict that said the quantum of sentence must depend upon the conduct of the accused, the state and age of the sexually-assaulted female and the gravity of the criminal act, and that crimes of violence upon women need to be severely dealt with.

The court said, "Taking into consideration the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, including the gravity of the offence, the age of the victim and the convict, the family condition of the convict and the child, social and economic factors governing them, the convict is sentenced to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) under Section 6 of the POCSO Act." The court also awarded a compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh to the rape survivor, saying it could assist in her rehabilitation.

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