New Delhi, Dec 04: A Delhi court has sentenced a man to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for the alleged sexual assault and attempt to murder of a 13-year-old girl in 2017, observing justice demanded a fitting punishment.
Additional sessions judge Aditi Garg was hearing the case against the 29-year-old man who was convicted under various IPC provisions, including attempt to murder and house trespass, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Additional public prosecutor Abhishek Rana informed the court that the convict attempted to murder the minor survivor by inflicting knife injuries on her neck, and also sexually assaulted her. He did not deserve any leniency, Rana said.
In its verdict dated November 23, the court said, “Justice demands that courts should impose punishment absolutely fitting to the crime.” “Courts are expected to maintain the balance between accused-oriented-justice and victim-oriented-justice and must keep in view not only the rights of the criminal but also the rights of the victim and the expectation of society while considering the imposition of appropriate punishment.” The verdict underlined that protection of society by stamping out criminal activities was an essential function of the state.
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The man was sentenced to 12 years rigorous imprisonment under Section 307(attempt to murder) of the IPC and seven years RI for committing house trespass.
He was further sentenced to one year RI under Section 342 (wrongful confinement) IPC and five years and three years of RI each under Sections 10 (aggravated sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of the POCSO Act, respectively.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The survivor was directed to be given Rs 7 lakh compensation as the court observed, “It has been time and again emphasised in legislation, international declarations as well as the judicial pronouncements that children are a supremely important national asset and the future well-being of the nation depends on how its children grow and develop.”
