Court Sentences Man for Raping Minor in Greater Noida

A court in Gautam Buddh Nagar district has sentenced Mohit to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl and five years for abducting her with the intent to compel marriage. Both sentences will run concurrently, and Mohit has also been fined Rs 55,000.

A court in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district has handed down a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence to Mohit for raping a minor girl. The court also sentenced him to an additional five years for abducting her with the intent to compel her for marriage. Both punishments will run concurrently, according to the order issued by Special POCSO Court Judge Vikas Nagar, who also imposed a Rs 55,000 fine on the convict.

Mohit, a resident of Greater Noida, was accused of abducting and raping a 16-year-old girl in April 2017. An FIR was lodged at the Dankaur police station under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the POCSO Act. Defence Counsel Naresh Chand Gupta appealed for minimal punishment, citing Mohit's lack of criminal history and his status as the sole breadwinner for his family, but Special Public Prosecutor Jai Prakash Bhati argued for the maximum penalty due to the gravity of the offense against a minor.

Judge Nagar concluded that the evidence was sufficient to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, sentencing Mohit to rigorous imprisonment and fines. Additionally, a portion of the fine will go toward the victim's rehabilitation expenses. The court also addressed a discrepancy regarding the victim's age but affirmed that she was a minor at the time of the offense.