A Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) court in Vadodara sentenced an accused of the October 2018 rape to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000, while asking Vadodara city police to spread awareness about the verdict. instructed. Orders to prevent sexual offenses against minors. City police received the court’s ruling on July 30, and decided to set up a six-step action plan to tackle sexual crimes against minors.
The accused, aged 22, who was booked under sections of the Indian Penal Code for kidnapping (363), abduction and abetment of marriage (366) and rape (376), was convicted of the charges , while the girl, then, was a student of class IX. A Vadodara police statement said on Friday that he and his family had been counseled by an NGO.
According to the police case, the accused implicated the girl in a relationship on the pretext of marriage and offered to help her pursue a career in singing and also released a film album of her songs. The accused then allegedly kidnapped her from her school and took her to a village in Mehsana where he raped her on several occasions. The police later traced the accused and the girl and brought them back to Vadodara, where she was sent for counselling, while the accused was lodged in jail under the POCSO Act.
The Vadodara police said in a statement on Friday that the girl had testified as a witness in the case and her medical examination confirmed rape. “Considering the statements of 29 witnesses as well as forensic, electronic and circumstantial evidence, the POCSO court sentenced the accused to rigorous imprisonment for 20 years along with a fine of Rs 5,000, and for failure to pay a fine of Rs. Sentenced to additional year’s imprisonment. fee. The police have accepted this decision as a morale boost to the investigating officers,” the police release said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Amita Vanani, who heads the ‘She Team’ in the city, said, “The 4th Additional Sessions Judge of the special POCSO court in its judgment has asked the city police to create awareness about this order. So that it acts as a deterrent to other perpetrators of sexual crimes against children. Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police has directed the teams to plan. We have made a six-step strategy which includes good touch and bad touch. But we include our ongoing program, which is explained through interactive sessions to prevent such crimes to the students in schools and colleges. Also, we share this landmark order of POCSO Court through social media and other platforms. We will also use a video to create awareness about Good Touch and Bad Touch. We have also recognized that victims of such sexual offenses face tremendous trauma and Counseling is needed to overcome the fear.At She Team Counseling Center we provide counseling to such victims. She will pay special attention to counselling.
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