Varanasi: A special Pocso court in Varanasi on Saturday sentenced 27-year-old Vijay Sonkar, a vegetable vendor from the Assi area, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 for raping a 17-year-old speech-and hearing-impaired minor girl in 2021. The court also directed that 70% of the fine be paid to the victim as compensation.According to Special Public Prosecutor Santosh Kumar Singh, the accused allegedly lured the girl to his tin-shed house near a vegetable shop, raped her, and recorded a video that later surfaced online. The case was registered at Bhelupur police station after the survivor’s uncle filed a complaint on Aug 31, 2021.After hearing both sides, ADJ (Pocso Act) Nitin Pandey held Sonkar guilty under Section 376 and Section 504 of the IPC, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Pocso Act.In its judgment, the court observed that the survivor was a minor with speech and hearing impairments, rendering her incapable of effectively communicating the incident. It noted that the offence committed by the accused against a helpless child reflected a depraved criminal mindset.Considering the gravity of the offence and the survivor’s vulnerability, the court held that awarding the maximum punishment was necessary to meet the ends of justice.To establish the charges, the prosecution examined six key witnesses, including the survivor, the complainant, the investigating officer, the doctor and a special educator. Relying on the witnesses’ testimonies, medical evidence and documentary evidence placed on record, the court held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
