Court sentences man to 5 years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting minor

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a man to five years of rigorous imprisonment for committing aggravated sexual assault on a seven-year-old girl in 2018 and said the penalty should commensurate with the gravity of the "loathsome act".

The 48-year-old man has been convicted of aggravated sexual assault and sexual harassment under sections 10 and 12, respectively, of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

During arguments on sentencing, Additional Public Prosecutor Yogita Kaushik Dahiya told the court of Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar that the victim remained firm in her testimony about the incident and the convict deserved no sympathy for his abominable and reprehensible act.

In the order dated January 13, the court said, "The penalty awarded to the convict should commensurate with the gravity of the loathsome act so as it serves as an effective deterrence to like-minded persons." "Taking into consideration the aggravating and mitigating circumstances including the gravity of the offence, age of the child victim and the convict, the family condition of the convict and the child victim, social and economic factors governing them, the convict is sentenced for five years rigorous imprisonment under section 10 of the POCSO Act," it said.

The court also sentenced the convict to one year of rigorous imprisonment for sexual harassment and said that both sentences would run concurrently. It also awarded Rs 3 lakh compensation to the victim. PTI MNR MNR NSD NSD

Source: PTI