A Delhi court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl, along with a fine of 10,000 rupees. The court termed the crime as an act of extreme brutality. The incident occurred in 2017 when the accused was a minor but was tried as an adult due to the severity of the crime.
Additional Sessions Judge Amit Sehrawat stated that the convicted individual raped the five-year-old girl and then brutally murdered her by striking her head with a stone. The judge highlighted that such heinous crimes reflect the cruelty and criminal psychology present in the offender at the time of the crime. When the convict committed the crime, he was a minor (above the age of 16).
The court further noted that the convict did not possess the psychological maturity of an adult, which is why he cannot be equated with adult criminals. Trying him as an adult was an option to impose a harsher punishment if no rehabilitation was possible, as is the case with adult offenders. However, this does not imply that the convict should be punished the same way as an adult in all respects.
The court emphasized that the juvenile should be sentenced with consideration for his rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Due to his age and potential for reform, he was given the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Subsequently, the court sentenced the convict to life imprisonment under Section 302 of the IPC (murder) and imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees. Additionally, he received ten years of rigorous imprisonment for the crime of rape. The court stated that the juvenile could not be released as he still required further rehabilitation. Along with the sentences, the court ordered a compensation of 1.7 million rupees for the victim's family.
