Man gets 15 years for minor’s sexual assault

Jalpaiguri: The Jalpaiguri POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Court on Tuesday sentenced Sanjit Roy to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000, with an additional three months of imprisonment if the fine is not paid. Judge Indawar Tripathi, who delivered the verdict, also ordered a compensation payment of Rs 3 lakh to be made to the victim through the legal services authority.

The case dates back to July 2019 when the minor had visited her uncle’s home in Jalpaiguri district.

The accused, a driver by profession, was also staying at the house due to a lack of accommodation elsewhere. That night, the accused shared a bed with the minor and other family members, during which he assaulted the minor.

The victim informed her family after returning home, leading to a formal complaint being filed on July 19, 2019. Sanjit Roy was arrested the next day and has remained in judicial custody since.

Assistant public prosecutor Debashish Dutta said that convictions would act as a major deterrent in such cases.

Meanwhile, the defense lawyer, Joydeep Bhowmik, announced plans to appeal the decision in the High Court before the upcoming

Puja holidays.