A court in Kalol, Gujarat, has sentenced an individual accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The accused, Sanjay Singh alias Brijpal Singh Thakur, was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000.
Special POCSO Judge AA Nanavati handed down the sentence after Thakur was found guilty of raping a minor girl for three consecutive days in a village in Kalol taluka. The crimes took place on January 28, 29, and 30 in 2021. During this period, the accused lured the minor into a room with the promise of chocolate and ten rupees, subsequently sexually abusing her and threatening her with death if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.
Following the incident, local law enforcement promptly registered a case under the POCSO Act. The charge sheet was filed in the Kalol court, leading to the subsequent trial.
Judge Nanavati delivered the verdict on May 12 in the Kalol Sessions Court, having considered the gravity of the crime and the arguments presented by the public prosecutor.
This sentencing comes on the heels of a similar case in Kalol a month ago, in which another individual accused under the POCSO Act was sentenced to death, underscoring the severity with which the judiciary is treating such heinous crimes. The POCSO Act was enacted in 2012 to effectively address sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
