The Delhi Tis Hazari Court sentenced a 49-year-old man to 10 years in prison for child marriage and rape of a 13-year-old girl, and awarded her Rs.10.5 lakh in compensation. The court found the victim was forced into the marriage due to her difficult circumstances, and the accused violated her rights and child protection laws.
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DELHI: Recently, The Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court has sentenced a 49-year-old man to 10 years of imprisonment for a case involving child marriage and rape. The court also ordered a compensation of Rs.10.5 lakh to be paid to the victim, who was forced into the marriage due to her difficult circumstances and was subsequently raped when she was just 13 years old.
The Special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court in Delhi had earlier, on April 30th of this year, convicted the accused, a resident of Bihar, under Section 376 (2) (i) and (n) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 6 of the POCSO Act 2012, and Sections 9/10 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
In his verdict, delivered on June 7th, 2024, Judge Ankit Mehta sentenced the accused to the maximum sentences for the child marriage and rape charges respectively. In addition to the compensation of Rs.10.5 lakh, the court also imposed a fine of Rs.15,000 on the accused.
The court noted that the prosecution had established that the child was a victim of circumstances who was forced into marriage by her maternal grandmother, who was the sole breadwinner in the family. According to the victim’s statement, she was the only child in the family with no parents, and had left her studies when she was staying with her mentally challenged mother and ailing grandmother, who was considered a ‘liability’.
“Following my grandmother’s death, the villagers forced me to marry the accused against my will,”
– the victim had revealed.
The accused, who had a previous two failed marriages, married the 13-year-old victim on February 23, 2017, in Bihar. This was established through a bone age test.
In her statement, the victim said-
“During the first two months after the accused took me to his village, he mercilessly beat me and forced himself upon me, which I deeply resented.”
The court noted that the victim was a “victim of circumstances” who was forced into the marriage due to her family’s dire situation. The judge, in his verdict, emphasized the need to protect vulnerable children from such exploitation and abuse.
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“The accused’s behavior was a clear infringement of the victim’s basic rights and the laws intended to shield minors from such abhorrent crimes,”
-said the judge.
The court has a responsibility to ensure that justice is served and that victims of such crimes receive the support and compensation they deserve.
A Delhi court has sentenced an accused to rigorous imprisonment in a harrowing case involving child marriage and repeated rape. The case highlights the urgent need to address the persistent issues of child marriage and the exploitation of minors, which continue to plague parts of India.
According to the details of the case, the accused, a 66-year-old man, had forcibly married a minor girl in the village. Sensing trouble in the village, the accused then shifted the victim to Delhi, where he subjected her to further torture and sexual abuse. As the merciless beating of the victim came to the attention of Delhi residents, they informed the police, initiating the process of FIR registration and investigation.
The Delhi Legal Service Authority (DLSA) played a crucial role in the case by appointing advocate Virender Verma to provide legal support to the victim during the trial period. Advocate Verma, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to the honorable court for considering all aspects of the case expeditiously.
“I convey my appreciation to the respected court which thoroughly considered all aspects of the case,”
– said Verma.
Reacting to the Delhi court’s verdict, lawyer, activist, and founder of Child Marriage Free India (CMFI), Bhuwan Ribhu, hailed it as a landmark and welcome judgment. Ribhu emphasized that the case once again establishes the direct link between child marriage and child rape, and he hopes it will serve as a precedent.
“once more affirming that child marriage leads to the sexual abuse of children. I hope this serves as a precedent. By taking decisive action against child marriage, we can eliminate it by 2030. While the government aspires to make India a developed country, this can only be achieved by ensuring free education until 18 years of age and eradicating child marriage.”
– said Ribhu.
The victim’s statement revealed the harrowing ordeal she endured, being subjected to rape for more than a year with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. The victim also told the court that her 66-year-old ‘mother-in-law’ had tortured her, pressuring her to engage in a physical relationship with the accused so that she could bear a child.
The victim recorded in her statement that she endured rape for more than a year with nowhere to go and no one to bank upon. She told the court that her 66-year-old ‘mother-in-law’ also tortured her to go for physical relationship so that she bore a child from the accused.Based on the victim’s complaint, the accused’s mother was also charged as an accused in the case, but the court ultimately acquitted her.