Himachal: 67-year-old gets 25-year jail for raping minor in Hamirpur
Shimla court, in its order on Friday, also imposed a fine of ₹1.01 lakh on the accused, 50% of which would be paid to the victim
A local court in Hamirpur has convicted and awarded 25-year jail to a 67-year-old man for raping a 15-year-old girl.
The accused was identified as Joginder Singh, 67, of Nadaun in Hamirpur. The court, in its order on Friday, also imposed a fine of ₹1.01 lakh on Singh, 50% of the fine realised would be paid to the victim.
“To an injured, there is an injury in the physical form, while in the case of sexual/physical assault, it is both physical as well as emotional injury. Her sole testimony is sufficient to bring home the guilt of the accused....” read the order of the special judge, Hamirpur, Bhuvnesh Awasthi.
“The gravity of the crime, motive for the crime, nature of the crime and all other attending circumstances have to be borne in mind while imposing the sentence. The Court cannot afford to be casual while imposing the sentence..... The courts must see that the public does not lose confidence in the judicial system. Imposing inadequate sentences will do more harm to the justice system and may lead to a state where the victim loses confidence in the judicial system and resorts to private vengeance,” ruled the court while pronouncing the sentence against the 67-year-old who had “wrongfully restrained and raped” the 15-year-old in February 2023.
The court also awarded a compensation of ₹8 lakh to the victim, which would be paid from the state victims compensation fund or other scheme or fund established for the purpose of compensation/ rehabilitating the victims, and in case no such fund/scheme is established, then the compensation awarded is to be paid by the state government.
The case was registered on February 23, 2023, under Sections 341, 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, at PS Nadaun on the complaint of the victim’s father.
The victim’s father had said that on February 23 when he had gone out for work, he received a call from his neighbor who told him that he was caught accused raping his daughter near a “nallah”.
The victim, a student of class 10 had said that on February 23, 2023, she was walking back home from her school. At 2.15 pm, when she was passing through a jungle area, which falls on the way from her school to home, the accused met her while grazing his goats. The accused followed her and forcibly took her to a nearby “nallah” where he raped her. The victim said the accused had been sexually exploiting her for more than 18 months but she did not disclose the same to her father as he had threatened to kill her father and sister. The victim’s mother had died about 10 years back.
