Amroha
(Uttar Pradesh), October 21: The court of Additional District and Sessions
Judge (POCSO) has sentenced an accused to life imprisonment for kidnapping and
raping a 15 year old girl. Additionally, a penalty of Rs.22,000 was also
imposed on the accused. However, due to a lack of evidence, the accused's
accomplice got acquitted. The two accused were in custody since their arrest, but
despite repeated pleas by them, they have been unable to secure bail.
The
crime took place in a village which comes under the jurisdiction of Gajraula
police station. The rape victim, a 15 year old minor girl, was a student of
class 8 when abducted. The victim’s father, a farmer, had gone out for some
work on 24 February 2020, when Anwar, the accused and a resident of Kazipura (which
comes under the jurisdiction of Dilari police station, Moradabad), came with
his friend, lured and kidnapped the minor girl.
The
family members of the victim searched for her everywhere but were clueless
about her whereabouts. As a last resort the victim’s father lodged a missing
person’s complaint with the police.
It
took the police three months to ultimately find the girl and catch both the
abductors. On her release, the victim shared her ordeal how Anwar and his
friend used to threaten her and sexually assault her. Based on her complaint the
police registered an FIR against both the kidnappers and after their arrest
police sent them to jail.
Since
then, the case was pending in the court of Awadhesh Kumar Singh, Additional
District and Sessions Judge Special (POCSO) and the accused were not granted bail.
The
matter was heard this Tuesday where Basant Singh Saini, Special Public
Prosecutor (POCSO) presented the case forcefully for the prosecution. The court
found the prime accused guilty and sentenced him to life in prison and a fine of
Rs 22,000, based on the evidence. However, the convict's accomplice got acquitted
from the court due to a lack of evidence.