Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: A Delhi court sentenced a tuition teacher to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping his minor student in 2016 at his coaching centre. The court of additional sessions judge Anu Aggarwal was hearing arguments on sentencing against the man convicted for the penal provisions of rape and criminal intimidation, and under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Pocso Act.
Rejecting the man’s plea that there was no medical and scientific evidence to support the prosecution’s case, the court observed that “corroboration is only a rule of prudence and is required only if the child victim’s testimony is not credible and truthful.”
Stating that the testimony of the girl is “credible and truthful and has not shaken even in cross-examination,” the court refused to agree with the submissions of the defence counsel that no complaint was made by the minor in June 2016 and the delay had not been explained.
“The victim has informed that she did not inform her parents and continued going to tuition as the accused threatened her. Further, it is evident from the record that she had a compartment in Class X, leading to her taking tuition in the month of June,” the judge said.
Additional public prosecutor Arun KV submitted before the court that the convict did not deserve any leniency as, despite being a teacher, he betrayed the trust of the victim’s parents, who sent the girl to his centre for tuition. The girl’s counsel sought stringent punishment, saying the minor suffered mental trauma and continued to blame herself for the offence.
Apart from the 10-year rigorous imprisonment, the court awarded one-year rigorous imprisonment for the offence of criminal intimidation and said that the sentences would run concurrently. It also provided Rs 10.5 lakh compensation to the minor.
Mayank Rawat
