MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS

MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS

23-JUNE-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA----------------------------The Exclusive Special POCSO Court in Sheohar has sentenced a man to 20 years of imprisonment under three sections of the law for repeatedly raping a victim at knifepoint after forcing her into an illicit relationship and threatening to make a video of the act viral. He has also been fined ₹20,000 for each offense; failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three months of imprisonment. Furthermore, an order has been issued for the government to provide ₹5 lakh in compensation to the victim.

The court of Deepanjan Mishra (Exclusive Special POCSO Court) found the accused, Chhotan Baitha—son of Vinod Baitha and a resident of Kuama, Police Station Piprahi, District Sheohar—guilty under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act.

He was sentenced to 10 years under Section 64 of the BNS, 10 years under Section 4 of the POCSO Act, and 20 years under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. All three sentences will run concurrently.

Special Public Prosecutor (POCSO Court) Rajeshwar Kumar stated that the accused, 25-year-old Chhotan Baitha, forced the 13-year-old victim into an illicit sexual relationship in a field on March 21 and recorded a video of the act. He threatened to make the video viral if she raised an alarm or told anyone.

Out of fear, the victim did not tell anyone. The accused continued to force her into sexual relations by repeatedly threatening her with a knife and the viral video, resulting in her pregnancy. The victim currently has a five-month-old baby girl. When the matter came to light, the accused pressured her to undergo an abortion by offering ₹2 lakh.