Etah Court Imposes 25-Year Sentence for Sexual Assault on Minor Boy
A court in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district has delivered a stern verdict, sentencing a 35-year-old man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old boy in 2023. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on the convict, with failure to pay resulting in an additional one-year imprisonment.
Details of the Incident and Investigation
According to ADGC Pradeep Gupta, the incident occurred on April 11, 2023, when the child's mother was away in the fields collecting cow dung. The man, who worked as a bus conductor and whose vehicle the child used to travel to school, approached the boy sitting on the doorstep. He then took the child inside the house and sexually assaulted him.
The boy's mother filed a complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR at a police station in Etah. The case was filed under Section 377 (unnatural sex) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The accused was arrested two days after the incident.
Court Proceedings and Verdict
During the trial, the man denied the allegations and demanded a fair trial. In his defense, he claimed that "a few days before the ‘so-called incident', the child fell from the bus and the case was filed in rage." However, the case was heard by special judge Sarika Goyal, who examined the evidence on record.
After thorough scrutiny, the court found the man guilty of the charges. On Thursday, the court pronounced the sentence, awarding 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 80,000. This verdict underscores the judiciary's commitment to protecting children from sexual abuse under the stringent provisions of the Pocso Act.
The case highlights the vulnerabilities faced by children and the importance of swift legal action in such heinous crimes. The court's decision serves as a deterrent and reinforces the legal framework aimed at ensuring justice for victims of child sexual assault.
