The principal and a teacher of a school in Patna have been awarded death sentence and imprisonment for life, respectively, by a court for the rape of a Class 5 student.
Special POCSO court judge Awadhesh Kumar, in an order passed on Monday, announced capital punishment for the principal, Arvind Kumar, besides imposing on him a fine of rs 1 lakh.
Co-accused Abhishek Kumar, who taught at the school situated in Phulwari Sharif locality of Patna, was sentenced to life imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 50,000.
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.
She narrated her ordeal when the parents pressed her with queries. A case was lodged at the Mahila Thana in Patna under the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the IPC.
Abhishek was convicted and sentenced on charges of abetting the crime of Arvind.
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The Times of India reported Arvind owned the New Central Public School at Mitramandal Colony in Phulwari Sharif where the incident took place between July and August, 2018. The Times of India quoted the public prosecutor as saying “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 foetus revealed a match with Arvind.
“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 had observed, reported The Times of India.
(With PTI inputs)
