Man sentenced to 25 yrs in prison for digital rape of 2-yr-old girl

NEW DELHI: A court here has sentenced a man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 2-year-old girl on the eve of Diwali last month, saying a lenient view could not be taken, as it was a case of digital rape.

In an order dated November 20, Additional Sessions Judge Babita Puniya underlined that the legislature did not make any distinction between digital penetration and penile penetration.

The court was hearing a case against the 30-year-old man, who had been convicted on November 19 under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.

The convict had committed the offence on October 20, and the investigation and trial in the case were completed within a month.

Trashing the defence counsel’s plea seeking a lenient view, as the convict had committed digital rape, Judge Puniya said, “The legislature has not made any distinction between digital penetration and penile penetration. Penetration, as per rape law, can be penile/vaginal, penile/oral, penile/anal, object or finger/vaginal and object or finger/anal penetration.” The court rejected the convict’s pleas for leniency, ruling that intoxication and illiteracy could not mitigate a child abuse offence.

Sentencing him to 25 years’ rigorous imprisonment, the judge said the punishment was necessary for justice

and protection.