Justice at last: Man sentenced to 8 years in jail for raping class 10 student in J&K

Jammu: A fast track court on Tuesday sentenced the main accused in the kidnapping and rape of a 10th standard student to eight years rigorous imprisonment.

The case dates back to 2014. The 15-year-old was returning home when she was kidnapped. They took her to an unknown place where she was raped. Later, the girl was recovered from a jungle area.

Judge Khalil Choudhary of the fast track court also sentenced Gharu Ram aka Bittu, son of Thoru Ram of Tikri Rakwala Jammu, to imprisonment of two years for the commission of the offence under section 363 Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for kidnapping, and fine of Rs 10,000.

The convict was also sentenced to imprisonment for one year for the commission of offence under section 452 RPC (house-trespass) and a fine of Rs 5,000. However, these sentences have been ordered to run concurrently.

In default of the payment of the fines, the court ordered that the convict shall undergo further imprisonment for two months in offence under section 376 (1) RPC (rape), one and a half months in offence under section 363 RPC, and one month in offence under section 452 RPC.

The other convict, Sunil Kumar a.k.a. Kokar, son of Rattan Lal of Dhai Chak Gho Manhasa, was sentenced to four months for the commission of the offence under section 363/109 RPC and a fine of Rs 10,000. In default of the payment of the fine, the convict has to undergo further imprisonment for 15 days in offence u/s 363/109 RPC.

The court also ordered that the period of detention of the convicts during the investigation and trial of the case shall be set off against the sentence awarded to them.

“It is not only the duty of the court but social and legal obligations are enjoined upon it to impose adequate punishment according to the law while taking into consideration not only the crime but also the criminal,” the court observed.

 “Furthermore, deterrence and reformation are primarily social goals. It is the duty of the court to impose adequate sentence, for one of the purposes of the requisite sentence is the protection of the society and legitimate response to its collectively concise.”

After hearing, both sides, the Fast Track Court convicted the accused, ruling that the evidence on record “unerringly points towards the guilt of the accused”.