OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: A Special Court at Yupia, near here, has sentenced a 37-year-old man, Tana Tajik, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a girl in 2017. The conviction was made under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict, with a default sentence of one month of simple imprisonment in case of non-payment. The verdict was delivered by POCSO Special Judge Dr Hirendra Kashyap on Wednesday in connection with a case registered at the Itanagar Women Police Station. Initially, the accused was booked under Sections 341 and 506 of the POCSO Act. However, the court noted that while the rape charge was proven beyond reasonable doubt, the prosecution failed to establish the victim’s minority through documentary evidence. As a result, Tajik was convicted under Section 376 of the IPC instead of under POCSO provisions. Tajik was produced before the court on Wednesday from judicial custody in Jullang. Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel A Saring represented the convict, while Additional Special Public Prosecutor (POCSO) K Bagra appeared for the state. During arguments on sentencing, the defence urged the court to show leniency, noting that the convict was a first-time offender with no previous criminal record. It was argued that Tajik had acted immaturely at the time of the offence and was under severe family hardship, being the sole breadwinner for his elderly father, wife, and two young children. Tajik also personally pleaded for mercy and a chance to reform. In his order, Judge Kashyap noted that the convict had forcibly taken the victim into a jungle and raped her.
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