Sidhi (Madhya Pradesh),
October 12: A Sessions Court in Sidhi district Madhya Pradesh sentenced a
rape accused to 14 years rigorous imprisonment on October 11 and also imposed a
fine of Rs 10,000. The accused Vishwanath Saket (60) was convicted of raping a minor
girl.
The victim along with
her mother filed a complaint in Bahri Police Station on July 1, 2018. The
victim age was then 10-years-old. The complaint stated that on June 26
afternoon the victim was going to her maternal grandmother's house. On the way, she met the accused Vishwanath Saket, a cobbler who knew the victim. The
accused asked her where she was going so the girl told him that she was going
to grandmother's house. Vishwanath asked the girl to sit there and rest for a
while. He told the victim that he would take her to her grandmother's house
when he goes home himself so the girl sat with him at his shop.
While conversing with
the victim, the accused told her that she was like his granddaughter so the
girl didn't have any reason to be alarmed with him. At around 4 pm, the accused
closed his shop and took the victim to his home in Devgawan. The accused closed
the door of the house and asked the girl to stay with him for the night. He
told her that the next morning he would drop her at her grandmother's house.
That night, Vishwanath
raped the girl thrice. When the girl cried out, the accused threatened to kill
her. The next day Vishwanath locked the girl from outside and went for work. He
returned back from work and again at night raped the girl.
On the third day, the
accused dropped the victim at her grandmother's house. He threatened the girl with
dire consequences if she told anyone about the rape. But the girl told
everything to her mother.
Then a complaint was
registered. Police registered the complaint based on the victim's statement
under section 5L/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)
Act. And under Sections 363, 366, 376(3), 376(2)N, 506(2) of the Indian Penal
Code (IPC).
In court, on behalf of
the Government, District Prosecution Officer Bharti Sharma argued during
the trial and the accused was found guilty and convicted.