UP court sentences father-son duo to 20 years imprisonment for raping minor girl

Bahraich: A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich on Friday sentenced a father-son duo to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 15-year-old girl.

Additional District Judge (POCSO) Deep Kant Mani also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on the accused, Dhaniram and his son, Ankush.

Special District Government Advocate (POCSO Act) Sant Pratap Singh told PTI that on April 28, 2022, a 15-year-old girl from a village in the Morkahi area of Bihar’s Khagaria district, had gone to withdraw scholarship money from a bank near her house.

During this time, an unknown person kidnapped the girl from the bank and allegedly sold her to Dhaniram Pandit, a resident of the Khairighat area in Bahraich. Dhaniram brought the girl to Bahraich and married her to his son, Ankush.

On May 22, 2022, the minor girl lodged a complaint at Khairighat police station in Bahraich, stating that after the marriage, her husband Ankush raped her. When Ankush left the house, his father Dhaniram also assaulted her. Even when she fell ill, she was not allowed to leave the house. When the victim tried to escape, she was forcibly caught and brought back home.

The court has ordered that the fine amount be given to the minor girl for her treatment and rehabilitation.