Jhansi: The Additional Sessions and District Judge (Rape and Pocso) Kaniska Singh on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh for trading in child pornography.
Details of the Case
The accused, identified as Ramji, a resident of Ramganj under Eirach police station in Jhansi district, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), New Delhi, on November 14, 2021. He was involved in procuring and distributing child pornography across various social media platforms.
Investigation and Evidence
During a raid at his residence, the CBI seized three mobile phones. Investigations revealed that Ramji operated through 55 different WhatsApp groups and traded over 300 explicit pornographic materials involving minors, sourced from multiple countries.
Further investigation by CBI ACB, Ghaziabad, led by Ajay Singh Gehlot, uncovered that the accused earned approximately Rs 33,000 from this illicit trade, which was deposited into his bank account in dollars.
Legal Proceedings
Additional District Government Counsel Tej Singh Gaur stated that the accused was booked under sections 120B and 67B of the IT Act, along with Section 15(3) of the POCSO Act. Ramji was granted bail about a year ago, after the Supreme Court had earlier rejected his bail plea.
While pronouncing the sentence, the judge emphasized the heinous nature of the crime, calling it disturbing for society. The maximum punishment of five years of rigorous imprisonment was awarded, along with a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh.
