Keonjhar, March 20: In a landmark verdict, the ADJ and Special POCSO Judge, Keonjhar on Wednesday awarded 30-year RI to the grandmother of a rape victim.
The accused who was convicted on the charges of raping the minor girl was also awarded 3o-year RI with Rs 20,000 fine.
While briefing on the judgement of the heinous crime, Public prosecutor Ganesh Prasad Mohapatra said, the minor girl was living with her step-grandmother Amita Karua in Joda of the district after she was abandoned by her parents in 2018.
One SK Shahzad used to come to the elderly woman’s house regularly. During his visit, Shahzad repeatedly raped the girl. Instead of raising any protest against the cruelty towards the minor victim, Amita suppressed it being aware of her granddaughter’s ordeal.
Later on the complaint of the victim’s uncle at Joda police station on November 27, 2018, Amita and Shahzad were arrested and forwarded to the court under Section 376(3) of IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
The ADJ and Special POCSO Court,based on the deposition of 20 witnesses and circumstantial evidence produced by the police convicted both the accused.
Announcing its verdict today, the court sentenced Shahzad to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him for the charges under Sections 376(3) of IPC. In default of payment of the fine, he has to undergo one more year of RI.
The court also ordered 30 years of RI for the charges under Section 6 of POCSO Act and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 fine on him. In default of the fine, he will have to serve two more years of RI. Both the sentences of Shahzad will run concretely.
The court sentenced Amita to 30 years of RI and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 under Section 6/70 of POCSO Act. In default of payment of fine, she has to undergo two more years of RI, the court ruled.
On the other hand, the court directed the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 6 lakh to the minor victim.
