Delhi court sentences man to 20 years in jail for raping visually-challenged girl

New Delhi: A Delhi court has sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a 15-year-old visually-challenged girl in 2018, saying a lenient view cannot be taken because of the convict's poverty.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajesh Kumar was hearing the arguments on sentencing against the man who was convicted under section 376(3) (rape on a woman under 16 years of age) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Special Public Prosecutor Nimmi Sisodia sought maximum punishment, saying the victim was scarred for life because of the convict's heinous act.

In an order dated January 14, the court said the 45-year-old man was overcome by lust or passion to the extent that he kidnapped and raped the visually-challenged girl.

It said, "Poverty and lack of criminal antecedents are not major mitigating circumstances." The court then sentenced the convict to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) under IPC section 376(3) and 10 years of RI under IPC section 366 (kidnapping or abduction).

Both sentences will run concurrently, the court said.

"The victim suffered pain, disappointment, inconvenience, mental stress, emotional harm and loss of reputation due to this incident," the court said and awarded her a compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh.