Youth gets 5 yrs jail for sexually assaulting minor in Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 4: A youth has been given a five-year jail term for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl by a Delhi court which said the nature of offence committed by him does not demand any leniency.

The court observed that the concept of welfare and well being of children is basic for any civilised society and it has a direct bearing on the state of health and well being of the entire community.

It awarded the jail term to the 20-year-old resident of north Delhi for offences of kidnapping under the IPC and sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"It can be safely concluded that the accused committed sexual assault on the victim after taking her to an isolated place and thus, the accused stands convicted for the offence ...," Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Manan said, adding the nature of offence committed by the youth does not demand any leniency.

The court also ordered that Rs 2 lakh be given to the child as compensation to provide restorative and compensatory justice to her.

"It has been time and again emphasised in legislation, international declarations as well as judicial pronouncements that children are a 'supremely important national asset' and future well being of the nation depends on how its children grow and develop," it said.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place in November 2014, when the child was playing outside her house and the youth, who was her distant relative, came on a bicycle and offered her a ride.

The girl along with her four-year-old cousin sat on the youth's bicycle and he took them to a dark area where he sexually assaulted her, it said.

Police said the girl was saved by a shopkeeper who dropped both the children at their house and the youth fled the spot.

During the trial, the youth claimed the girl was his niece and he had not done anything wrong to her.

PTI