Youth gets 12-year jail term for raping minor

New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) A Delhi court has sentenced ayouth to 12 years in prison for raping a nine-year-old girl in2009.

The court sent Sanjeet Sahni (25) to jail saying he"misused the liberty and indulgence" which the father of thevictim had given him by providing shelter in his home.

"I am of considered opinion that the convict should beawarded a substantive, stern and firm sentence because hemisused the liberty and indulgence granted to him by thefather of the victim who gave him shelter in his home whilethe convict had come to Delhi and he, taking the advantage,defiled the child," Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on theconvict and said he had taken advantage of a "helplessand defenceless child".

"The convict has taken advantage of a helpless anddefenceless child who could not even try to escape or expressherself and was an easy and vulnerable prey.

"In spite of the tender age of the child, the convictwent on to commit the ghastly, abominable, inhuman andbarbaric act of rape, violating the person of the child andgiving a lifelong trauma to her family," the court said.

Sahni had come to Delhi in search of work and wasstaying with the victim''s family.

He had absconded after raping the minor girl in March2009. Sahni was arrested from Samastipur Railway Station inBihar.

The court convicted him relying on the testimony of thevictim, who identified him as the person who had raped her.

The court said the medical and forensic evidence corroboratedthe girl''s deposition.