Srinagar : A court in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district has sentenced a man to five years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor.
The verdict was delivered by the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kupwara, in a case registered at Vilgam police station in 2020.
The accused, identified as Jameel Ahmad Mughal, of Nawbugh Champora in Vilgam, was convicted under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the convict. In case of non-payment, he will have to undergo an additional three months of simple imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, the offence involved a child aged around three years. The court, while pronouncing the sentence, took note of the gravity of the crime and observed that the accused had violated a position of trust as he was working at the victim’s residence at the time.
Rejecting the plea for leniency, the court held that factors such as the accused’s custody since April 2020, lack of prior criminal record, and socio-economic background did not dilute the seriousness of the offence.
The court granted the benefit of set-off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the period already spent in custody.
It also directed that the fine amount be paid to the victim as compensation under Section 357 CrPC, with provision for further relief under the Victim Compensation Scheme, officials said
