Justice Served: 10-Year Jail Term for Assaulting Mentally Challenged Minor

A Delhi court has sentenced a man to 10 years for the 2017 sexual assault of a mentally challenged minor. Additional penalties were given for related offenses, and Rs.10.5 lakh compensation was awarded to the victim. This verdict underscores society's responsibility to protect vulnerable children.

In a landmark decision, Delhi's Rohini Court has sentenced a man to a decade behind bars for his role in the sexual assault of a mentally challenged minor boy in North West Delhi back in 2017. The victim and his assailant were from the same village, and the crime was first reported in September of that year.

Presiding over the case, Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Bala Dagar invoked section six of the POCSO Act to hand down the 10-year sentence to the primary offender. In addition to the main charge, the judge also sentenced the assailant to concurrent terms for causing hurt, house trespass, and criminal intimidation, while two accomplices received six-month sentences for similar offenses.

Compounded by a compensation of Rs.10.5 lakh for the victim, the court's ruling sends a clear message about societal responsibility in safeguarding children. The court emphasized that the present and future welfare of society relies on protecting children from physical and psychological abuse, underlining the enduring trauma that such assaults inflict on young victims.

(With inputs from agencies.)