20 YEARS RI FOR RAPING A TEENAGE GIRL

20 YEARS RI FOR RAPING A TEENAGE GIRL

20-JUNE-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA----------------------In a significant case handled under the police's 'speedy trial' campaign, the court has sentenced a man accused of raping a minor girl to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹60,000.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday by the Office of the Superintendent of Police, Kaimur, the court of Pramod Kumar Pandey (Special Judge, POCSO Act/ADJ-06) handed down this sentence after finding the accused—Shankar Kumar, son of Mithu Ram and a resident of Dahiaov (Durgawati Police Station area)—guilty in Durgawati Police Station Case No. 385/24.

As per the press release, on December 11, 2024, the 14-year-old victim was grazing goats on the boundary of her uncle's field when the accused raped her. The police took prompt action in the case, completed the investigation, and filed the charge sheet in court.

During the speedy trial, Shashi Bhushan Pandey, the Special Public Prosecutor for the POCSO Act in Kaimur district, represented the state. The prosecution presented seven witnesses and documentary evidence before the court. Based on the evidence, the court convicted the accused under Section 64(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4(1) of the POCSO Act.

The court sentenced the accused to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹60,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.

The Kaimur Police have termed this a significant achievement in the effort to secure justice for the victim through a speedy trial.