<p>New Delhi: A special court in West Bengal's Malda sentenced a retired teacher to life imprisonment on Friday for the rape of a nine-year-old girl, the first conviction in a 2021 post-poll violence case probed by the CBI.</p>.<p>Sixty-one cases of murder and crimes against women -- specifically rape or attempted rape -- during the post-poll violence in West Bengal following the declaration of the 2021 Assembly poll results were handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the Calcutta High Court.</p>.<p>In one such case, Rafikul Islam, a retired government school teacher had lured the girl, who was playing in a mango orchard, by offering her money and raped her on the evening of June 4, 2021.</p>.<p>The CBI filed a charge sheet against him. Special Public Prosecutor for the CBI, Amitava Maitra, presented the case supported by eyewitness testimony of the victim and her 10-year-old friend.</p>.<p>The additional district and sessions judge, on Friday, awarded life imprisonment to Rafikul Islam under the POCSO Act and Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code, a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.</p>.<p>The court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict and directed the state government to hand over a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the victim.</p>.<p>"This is the first post-poll violence case in which the trial has concluded and the same has resulted in a conviction," the spokesperson said.</p>.<p>After taking over the cases, the CBI constituted special investigation teams by drawing officers from across India and also appointed special counsels for expeditious trials, she added. </p>
<p>New Delhi: A special court in West Bengal's Malda sentenced a retired teacher to life imprisonment on Friday for the rape of a nine-year-old girl, the first conviction in a 2021 post-poll violence case probed by the CBI.</p>.<p>Sixty-one cases of murder and crimes against women -- specifically rape or attempted rape -- during the post-poll violence in West Bengal following the declaration of the 2021 Assembly poll results were handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the Calcutta High Court.</p>.<p>In one such case, Rafikul Islam, a retired government school teacher had lured the girl, who was playing in a mango orchard, by offering her money and raped her on the evening of June 4, 2021.</p>.<p>The CBI filed a charge sheet against him. Special Public Prosecutor for the CBI, Amitava Maitra, presented the case supported by eyewitness testimony of the victim and her 10-year-old friend.</p>.<p>The additional district and sessions judge, on Friday, awarded life imprisonment to Rafikul Islam under the POCSO Act and Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code, a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.</p>.<p>The court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict and directed the state government to hand over a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the victim.</p>.<p>"This is the first post-poll violence case in which the trial has concluded and the same has resulted in a conviction," the spokesperson said.</p>.<p>After taking over the cases, the CBI constituted special investigation teams by drawing officers from across India and also appointed special counsels for expeditious trials, she added. </p>