A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) fast track court awarded a woman 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under section 6 read with section 17 of the POCSO Act in a 2022 rape case.The court of additional Sessions Judge Amar Jeet Singh also slapped a ₹1 lakh fine on the convict, who is a relative of the 11-year-old girl who was raped by the main accused, Shashikant of Rayian village of Koom Kalan. He was never arrested.According to the police, they will submit an additional charge-sheet against Shashikant after he is nabbed. The woman, meanwhile, knew of the ordeal, but forced the minor to not share it with anyone.According to the minor, her father and mother, both factory workers would leave for work in the morning. In their absence, the accused used to barge into their rented accommodation, rape and threaten her. She became pregnant and fell ill, following which her parents sent her to a relative’s home while still being in the dark about the rape.The minor narrated her ordeal to the relative, but instead she forced her to keep the pregnancy concealed.The matter had come to fore on March 14, 2022, when the minor was brought to the civil hospital with complaints of severe stomach ache and gave birth to a child.After the doctors informed the authorities about the birth of the child, the Koom Kalan police initiated an investigation and registered a case against the accused under section 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.The minor recorded her supplementary statement on March 19, 2022, alleging that the aforementioned relative knew about the rape but she not only hid things from her parents, but also threatened her against speaking of the ordeal.
Following the information provided by the girl, the Koom Kalan police booked her and added section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code to the first information report.
The newborn was handed over to the child welfare committee following the court order.
TAGS: POCSO Fast Track Court Woman Sentenced Concealing Rape Minor Victim Main Accused At Large
