In a delayed but firm ruling, a court has sentenced a 45-year-old man to one-year rigorous imprisonment for sexually harassing a four-year-old girl in 2015. Additional Sessions Judge Preeti Parewa found the man guilty of wrongful confinement and sexual harassment under section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The incident, which took place on March 6, 2015, involved the convict exposing himself to the young girl with the intent of involving her in his perverse actions. “In the present case, at about 1:30 PM, the convict exhibited his private part to the victim child with sexual intent… Further, the accused also wrongfully confined the victim,” the court noted in its recent order.
During the sentencing hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor Sarita Rani argued that the convict had committed a “heinous offence” and deserved no leniency. The court concurred, sentencing him to one year of rigorous imprisonment for the act of sexual harassment and an additional six months for wrongful confinement.
The verdict was pronounced after careful consideration of the entire facts and circumstances surrounding the case, notably the victim’s tender age and the nature of the crime. The court also took into account the convict’s socio-economic background, his clean antecedents, and the prolonged duration of the trial, which lasted nearly nine years.
