Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 21: A Delhi court has sentenced a 30-year-old man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 2-year-old girl on the eve of Diwali, stressing that no leniency could be shown in a case involving digital rape.

The order, passed by Additional Sessions Judge Babita Puniya on November 20, noted that the law makes no distinction between digital and penile penetration. The man was convicted a day earlier under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for committing the offence on October 20. The investigation and trial were completed within a month.

Rejecting the defence’s plea for a lenient sentence, Judge Puniya said, “The legislature has not made any distinction between digital penetration and penile penetration,” adding that rape under the law includes penetration by object or finger.

The court also dismissed arguments that the convict was intoxicated and illiterate, stating that voluntary consumption of liquor or ganja could not reduce the severity of the crime. “Illiteracy cannot be considered a mitigating factor, particularly in child abuse cases,” the judge remarked.

Calling the crime a deep betrayal of trust, the court pointed out that the convict was a friend of the victim’s father and had visited the family from a village. “The victim was in the safest place — her home — but the convict made it unsafe,” the judge observed, adding that the festival of lights turned into a “darkness that will remain with her family forever.”

While imposing the 25-year sentence, the court said the punishment ensures retribution, societal protection, and space for rehabilitation of the offender. It also observed that although landmark cases like Nirbhaya and Kathua had sparked public outcry and legal amendments, courts must remain guided by law and not emotions.

The court awarded Rs 13.5 lakh compensation to the child, noting that while the trauma can never be fully compensated, financial support would offer some solace to the family.