Assam: Court sentences man to 10 years for raping minor in Sonitpur under POCSO Act

A special POCSO court in Sonitpur, Assam, on Wednesday sentenced a 35-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a five-year-old girl. The convict, Ajit Praja, was also fined ₹20,000, failing which he would have to serve an additional two months in prison.

The verdict was delivered by Justice Debashish Bhattacharjya, the presiding judge of the Sonitpur District and Sessions Court-cum-Special POCSO Court.

According to Special Public Prosecutor Saibal Maitra, the crime occurred on July 25 last year in the Gorajuli Pothar area. The court convicted Praja under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). This case also marks the first conviction under the BNS in Sonitpur district, Maitra added.


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