A Siliguri court has sentenced Sunil Oraon to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined him ₹30,000 for the sexual assault of a 6-year-old child. The court ordered financial compensation to be given to the family of the victim.
The testimony of the accused man's wife, Lakhi Ekka, played a vital role in securing the conviction after she filed a formal police complaint.
This strict judicial decision follows a series of similar strong verdicts delivered by special POCSO courts across the Siliguri and Jalpaiguri areas.
According to
Section 33(8) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, special courts have the power to order victim compensation for physical and emotional recovery.
The Supreme Court also requires Sessions Courts to mandatorily grant compensation to victims of sexual assault under
Section 357A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
