Court sentences man to 13 years imprisonment for kidnapping and raping minor

Court sentences man to 13 years imprisonment for kidnapping and raping minor

A court here has sentenced a man to 13 years rigorous imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl in 2013, saying it was a heinous crime where ''without any humanity'' the convict repeatedly raped the victim for around four days.

The court, however, did not provide the maximum sentence of life imprisonment to the convict while noting that there was no ''competent'' person to look after his six-year-old child.

Additional Sessions Judge Amit Sahrawat was hearing the case against the man, who was convicted in February this year, of the penal offences of rape and kidnapping, and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provision.

Special Public Prosecutor Vineet Dahiya appeared for the Delhi Police.

''The very young age of the victim child and the age gap of about 11 years between the victim and the convict makes the offence heinous,'' the court said in an order dated May 1. ''Further, the convict continuously raped the victim for about four days and did not observe any humanity towards the victim. The fact that rape was committed with the victim after kidnapping her on her way to school, makes the offence even more heinous,'' it added.

Noting the mitigating factors in favour of the convict, the court said that he was a single father and his child was being looked after by his 70-year-old father.

''Although the conduct of the convict is very heinous and it does not deserve any leniency, still the age of the convict's child and non-availability of any competent person to look after this child, up to some extent, brings the weighing scale in favour of the convict,'' it said. The court said the convict was a threat to the society and he could again kidnap and rape any other minor child, but the young age of his child had compelled the court to rethink about awarding life sentence. ''Some scope should be left in the sentence of the convict so that when the said child becomes of mature age, the convict could make some arrangements for his future,'' the court said.

The court sentenced the convict to rigorous imprisonment of 12 years and one year for the offences of rape and kidnapping, respectively.

The sentences will run consecutively, it said.

The court also awarded Rs 10.5 lakh compensation to the victim.

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