Varanasi: A Varanasi court on Tuesday sentenced a 36-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 for the rape of an 8-year-old girl. The court also directed that 80% of the fine amount deposited by the convict be paid to the survivor as compensation.The additional district and sessions judge (Pocso Act), Nitin Pandey, delivered the judgment on the basis of arguments and evidence presented by special public prosecutor Santosh Kumar Singh. The court found accused Munna alias Waseem, 36, guilty under Section 376AB and Section 354B of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Sections 5(m)/6 of the Pocso Act.According to the prosecution, the FIR was lodged on June 5, 2022, by the girl’s mother. The accused, who lived in the neighbourhood, allegedly took the child to his house and sexually assaulted her.To prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt, the prosecution examined nine witnesses, including the survivor, her mother, her sister, the FIR writer, investigating officer Muni Shankar Verma, and the doctor who conducted the medical examination. The court relied on witness testimonies, medical evidence, and pathology reports while holding the accused guilty. The court also noted that the victim was only 8 years old at the time of the incident.
