The Principal and a teacher of a private school in Patna have been awarded death sentence and imprisonment for life, respectively, for the rape of a Class 5 student.
Special POCSO court judge Awadhesh Kumar announced capital punishment to Arvind Kumar, the principal of a school situated in Phulwari Sharif locality of Patna, besides imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him. On the other hand, the co-accused Abhishek Kumar, who taught at the same school, was sentenced to life imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 50,000.
“Considering the nature of this case against the main accused Arvind Kumar, who has committed rape with the victim, I am unable to impose the sentence less than capital punishment,” the court observed.
Abhishek was convicted and sentenced on charges of abetting the crime of Arvind.
Background
The case came to light in September 2018 when the victim, all of 11 years, was found to be pregnant upon being taken to a doctor by her parents who got worried over her frequent bouts of illness.
The victim narrated her ordeal when the parents pressed her with queries. A case was lodged at the Mahila Thana in Patna under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Reportedly, Arvind owned the New Central Public School at Mitramandal Colony in Phulwari Sharif where the incident took place between July and August 2018. The public prosecutor stated that “Abhishek had first sent the victim in a room in the school building, saying the principal was checking her copy there.”
“There was a bed in the room where Arvind raped her at least six times over a period of two months,” he said.
After the victim underwent an abortion, DNA tests of her fetus revealed a match with Arvind.
“I lived under constant threats and went out of Patna for some time as well. I am satisfied with the court verdict. It came before a day of Saraswati Puja,” the victim’s mother told the sources.
