Man, wife sentenced in rape case of minor

Kaithal, Nov 1 (UNI) In a significant judgement, a local court today awarded rigorous life imprisonment to a man for committing rape of a minor girl and jailed his wife for seven years for abetting the crime.

The Additional District and session Judge Dr Neelima Shangla also slapped a fine of Rs 50000 on Banarsi Lal alias Polu and Rs 15000 on his wife Indira to be given as compensation to the victim.

Ram Mehar, a minor also accused of raping the eighth class student, would be tried by a Juvenille court .

SSP Navdeep singh Virk said that on August 6, 2004, 35-year-old Banarsi Lal of Bhana village of this district along with his wife and Ram Mehar took the victim along on the pretext of going to their regular visit to a religious Dera at Sirsa.

While the wife of the accused returned from Kalka, the two accused raped the minor girl at Kalka and later repeatedly at a house in Shimla.

The girl was recovered from near Kotra minor near Bhana village on August 11 where she was dropped by the accused.

On the statement given by the girl police booked Banarsi, his wife Indira and Ram Mehar under section 376, 506 and 120-B IPC.

The court has also sentenced the accused separately in case under section 363 and ordered that in case the accused failed to pay the fine they will have to under go further imprisonment.

UNI XC JN RR RK2046