Ghazipur, July 23 (IANS) A district court in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur on Thursday sentenced a man convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000.
The judgment was delivered by POCSO Court Judge Ram Avtar Prasad, who found the accused, Sikandar Rajbhar, guilty of sexually assaulting a minor.
Assistant Government Advocate Ram Kumar Rai said that Sikandar Rajbhar, a resident of a village in the Kasimabad police station area, had allegedly lured a minor girl away from her home and later established sexual relations with her.
Speaking to IANS on Thursday, Rai added that the case was registered after the victim’s mother filed a complaint.
During the trial, several witnesses testified before the court.
After examining the evidence and arguments, Judge Ram Avtar Prasad convicted the accused and sentenced him to 12 years in prison along with a fine of Rs 25,000.
The incident dates back to 2017.
According to the prosecution, the accused, who lived in the same neighbourhood, allegedly enticed the minor girl by promising to marry her and took her away.
Police arrested him a few days later.
Based on the complaint filed by the girl’s mother, a case was registered under the POCSO Act.
Ghazipur Police said that the conviction was secured through continuous monitoring and effective prosecution under the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Operation Conviction campaign, launched by the Director General of Police.
According to the police, on July 23, the court convicted Sikandar Rajbhar and awarded the following sentences:
Section 8 of the POCSO Act: 12 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional one month of simple imprisonment.
Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC): Five years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional seven days of simple imprisonment.
Section 366 of the IPC: Seven years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional 15 days of simple imprisonment.
–IANS
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