PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
A court in Dehradun has sentenced a 28-year-old man to 20 years imprisonment for repeatedly raping a 14-year-old girl. The crimes left the girl pregnant and led to the birth and death of a baby. The case was heard by a special judge (POCSO) Archana Sagar delivered the verdict on Tuesday. The court found Sonal Pal, also known as Sonu, guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to the public prosecutor Alpana Thapa, the accused lived near the girl’s house in Shastrinagar. He called her to his home and them woods nearby many times between December 2023 and June 2024. He threatened to kill her and her parents if she told anyone. Out of fear, the girl remained silent.
The crime came to light only in June 2024 when the girl complained of severe stomach ache. A medical checkup revealed she was six months pregnant. Her mother then filed a police complaint at Vasant Vihar police station.
During the trial, the girl testified in court. She described how the accused, who is married and has three children, forced himself on her. Medical reports and a DNA test proved that Sonal Pal was the father of the baby she gave birth to. The newborn died ten days after birth in the hospital.
Besides the 20-year jail term for rape under the POCSO Act, the court also sentenced Sonal Pal to two years in jail for criminal intimidation. He was also fined a total of Rs 20,000. The court ordered the government to pay Rs three lakh as compensation to the survivor for her trauma and future welfare.
