PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
A special POCSO court in Dehradun has sentenced music teacher Arjun Gupta to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. The court also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the convict and directed him to pay Rs five lakh as compensation to the victim. The accused used to teach guitar to the girl at his residence, where he sexually abused her.
The case pertains to the Vasant Vihar police station area. The girl had been attending guitar classes at the accused’s house for around six to eight months. During this period, her behaviour began to change and she started avoiding the classes. On January 12, 2024, the girl told her mother about the accused’s actions. She also revealed that he had recorded videos of her and threatened to harm her if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
Following the complaint, a case was registered at Vasant Vihar police station and the accused was arrested on January 13, 2024. During the investigation, police seized his mobile phone and other electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed videos containing obscene material involving the minor on his mobile phone.
During the trial, statements of the victim, her parents and other witnesses were recorded. The court found the victim’s testimony credible and considered the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to establish the charges. Special POCSO judge Kusum Shani pronounced the verdict on November 5.
