Chandigarh: Man gets 20-year jail for kidnapping, sexually assaulting minor
As per the minor’s statement, she used to visit Sahu’s shop to buy snacks. He eventually befriended her and established physical relations with her.
A special POCSO court awarded 20-year jail to a man for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2022.
The convict, Sandeep Shab alias Sahu, 34, who ran a snack shop in Jagatpura, was also directed to pay a fine of ₹30,000.
As per the minor’s statement, she used to visit Sahu’s shop to buy snacks. He eventually befriended her and established physical relations with her.
She later found out that she was pregnant, following which, the man took her to Delhi. After about six days, however, a police team traced them and arrested Sahu on her mother’s complaint.
In the intervening period, the man had raped her at least thrice, she told the court. The girl underwent abortion in May 2022.
Sahu was booked under Section 363 (kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage etc), 376 (2) (N)/ 376 (3) (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Sector 31 police station in April 2022.
The court found him guilty of the charges of kidnapping and abduction with intent to compel woman for marriage.
The defence counsel had pleaded that the victim was not a minor and that she had left with Sahu out of her own will. The defence also stated that no credible age-proof had been presented by the prosecution to show that the girl was 14 years old. However, after hearing both sides, the special POCSO court held the man guilty and awarded 20 years jail to him.
