KOLKATA, Mar 8 (TOI) : A court in Tamluk, East Midnapore, sentenced a third year BTech student from Panskura to five years in prison and slapped him with a fine of Rs 9,000 for uploading objectionable photographs and videos of a girl he knew through internet. In this case, being touted as one of the swiftest deliveries of justice in India, third judicial magistrate Gautam Kumar Nag directed the state to treat the girl as a rape survivor and pay compensation accordingly.

Advocate Bivas Chatterjee said, “The complaint was lodged and accused Animesh Boxi arrested on July 21, 2017 and proceedings got over on February 28, 2018. While the CID took up the investigation, I was appointed the special public prosecutor. The girl complained she knew Boxi for three years and trusted him. With a promise to marry her, Boxi obtained some private photographs and videos from her. He threatened to upload them if she didn’t have physical relations with him. When she refused, he uploaded the photographs. I told the court that this was revenge pornography and the girl underwent virtual rape every time somebody clicked on one of her photographs.”

The CID submitted a chargesheet against Boxi in 42 days. After 50 days, charges were framed. Witness examination took another 60 days. According to Chatterjee, this is the first conviction in the state in such a case. Eighteen witnesses deposed before the court and two experts from the central forensic sciences laboratory submitted their findings.

“The girl, who was devastated after the incident, regained composure and fought back. She withstood two days of rigorous cross-examination and gave clear and honest evidence in court. We cited nearly 300 judgments of the Supreme Court and over 200 electronic and nonelectronic evidences were exhibited,” Chatterjee said.