GUWAHATI: Two persons, including a stepfather, were awarded rigorous imprisonment by a special court in Kamrup Metro district of Assam on Friday in two separate cases of minor rape under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012.
They have been identified as Litan Saha (stepfather) and Sahidul Alam. Litan Saha was awarded 30 years of RI while Sahidul got 25 years of RI in two separate minor rape cases.
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The judgement of both cases was passed by the court of the Special Judge POCSO Kamrup Metro, Audri Bhattacharyya on Friday.
The stepfather Litan Saha, who is from West Bengal, was arrested in connection with the All Women Police Station case number 196/2021 under section 376(2)(n)/376(AB)/ of IPC read with section 6 of POCSO Act, 2012.
Saha, a painter by profession and a father of a 12-year-old boy, sexually abused the 15-year-old minor girl for a long time.
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Even as the girl complained it to her mother, she did not take it seriously. At last, the girl was rescued by an NGO and informed the police leading to his arrest.
After his arrest, the mother of the girl (wife of Litan Saha) fled the scene and she is yet to be arrested. The minor girl is still in a rehabilitation centre in the city.
Saha submitted before the court he has his aged father to look after and he can’t say whereabouts of his wife. He has back pain and a tumour in his lower abdomen.
“Considering all the aspects, Litan Saha is convicted for 30 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 thousand failing which he has to undergo another three months jail under section 6 of POCSO Act,” the court stated in the order.
“I further recommend Rs 2 lakh compensation to the victim under section 9 of Assam Victim Compensation Scheme 2012. Recommended the case for rehabilitation to DLSA,” the court added.
In another case, the court of the Special Judge POCSO Kamrup Metro, Audri Bhattacharyya awarded 25 years rigorous imprisonment to Sahidul Alam for raping a five-year-old minor girl in connection with Chandmari police station case number 536/2021 registered under section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Sahidul Alam, a fisherman by profession and a father of three daughters (8 years, 5 years and 1 year), raped the minor girl who resides at his campus along with her parents.
The accused has submitted before the court that he never committed any offence earlier and he is the sole earning member of the family.
“considering all aspects, I award Sahidul Alam for 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 failing which he has to undergo another three years rigorous imprisonment. The fine when depicted will be given to the victim girl,” the court said in the order.
“As per clause 9 of Assam Victim Compensation Scheme 2012 and the recommendation of the Supreme Court in WPC867/2013 I award a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the victim girl and also recommend the case for rehabilitation of the victim girl to the Kamrup Metro DLSA secretary for awarding final compensation under section 357-A of CrPC,” the court added.