POCSO Rapist Gets 25 Years for Digital Assault

A Delhi court has handed down a 25-year rigorous imprisonment sentence to a 30-year-old man for the digital rape of a two-year-old girl. The swift trial, concluded in nine days, saw the man convicted under the POCSO Act for the heinous crime committed on October 20.

Additional sessions judge Babita Puniya stated that the law does not distinguish between digital and penile penetration, rejecting pleas for leniency based on the convict's intoxication or illiteracy. The judge highlighted the profound violation of trust, as the man was a family friend who turned the victim's home into an unsafe space.

The court awarded Rs 13.5 lakh compensation to the survivor, acknowledging that while monetary compensation cannot erase trauma, it can offer financial solace. The sentencing aims to punish the crime and ensure it is proportionate to its gravity, serving justice and societal interests.