Mathura rape: Court sentences 20 years in prison for his heinous act against mentally unsound girl

New Delhi, Sep 11: A 47-year-old has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping an 18-year-old mentally unsound girl by a court. The incident had occurred in 2018.

The convict has been imposed a fine of Rs 2.20 lakh failing which he will have to spend additional five years in jail, said Additional district government counsel Subhash Chaturvedi, as per the PTI.

The mother of the victim used to hire the convict, a driver, occasionally and the incident occurred during one of the trips when they had gone to perform a religious ritual on 9 July 2018 in Mathura.

The convict, who had raped the girl on 9 July in 2017 at midnight when the victim's mother and her two relatives, were carrying out Goverdhan Parikrama (circumambulation). The mentally unsound girl too participated in Goverdhan Parikrama (circumambulation) but had returned to the car stating that she was tired.

The driver raped her and took her mobile inside the car. The victim, later, narrated the incident to her mother who confronted the convict. Two days later, the convict confessed to his crime.

He was then booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. IPC Section 376 (rape) at the women's police station. "The order passed by Amar Singh, additional special judge POCSO Act, has sentenced Raghavendra Tewari to imprisonment of 20 years with a fine of Rs 2.20 lakh," Chaturvedi said.

The legal counsel requested the judge to show leniency while announcing the punishment as he raped a mentally unsound girl and the person has to marry off his two daughters.

The judge ordered 20 years in prison and Rs 2.20 lakh fine and additionally 5 years if he do not pay the compensation amount. In such a case, the government has to pay the compensation for the victim's family.