Delhi Court Delivers Justice: 20-Year Sentence for Man Who Raped Minor Under False Promise of Marriage
Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Abducting, Raping Minor in Delhi; Victim Awarded ₹10.5 Lakh Compensation
In a significant ruling earlier this week, a Delhi court sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for abducting and raping a 15-year-old girl under the pretense of marriage. The court also mandated the State to provide ₹10.5 lakh in compensation to the victim.
The incident dates back to 2022 when the victim, then 15 years old, was misled by the convict into believing they were entering into a lawful marriage. Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar of the Rohini court, who presided over the case under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, emphasized the profound and lasting psychological damage such crimes inflict on young victims. "Psychological scars of sexual abuse during childhood are indelible and hinder the proper physical and psychological development of the victim," remarked Judge Dagar.
The court criticized the convict for exploiting the victim’s innocence, noting that misleading minors into believing they are in a lawful marital union drastically impacts their lives. "By such allurements, the victim is enticed away from lawful guardianship as well as away from studies, accordingly affecting the life of minor victims," the judge noted.
Moreover, the court reprimanded the Delhi police for what it termed a “shoddy investigation.” The investigating officer in the case was particularly criticized for failing to obtain the convict’s first marriage documents, a key oversight pointing to the investigation’s inadequacies. The judge suggested that the reasons for such lapses were known only to the investigating officer.
This ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance against crimes involving minors and highlights the systemic issues within law enforcement that need to be addressed to ensure thorough and effective investigations in such serious cases.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-court-awards-20-years-jail-to-man-for-raping-a-minor-on-the-pretext-of-marriage/article68442903.ece
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