A Delhi Court, in a significant judgment, emphasized that the severity of punishment should match the gravity of the crime to effectively deter potential offenders.

Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar sentenced Ashraf Rain to life imprisonment under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act section 6 for raping a minor girl in 2019.

Rain was also given seven years' rigorous imprisonment each under Indian Penal Code sections 363 (kidnapping) and 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), with all sentences to run concurrently. The court imposed a ₹50,000 fine as well.

The case involved Rain kidnapping a five-year-old girl from her grandparent's home, where he physically assaulted her and subjected her to sexual assault. The court, in its sentencing, aimed to send a strong message against such offenses, stating that those who violate the POCSO Act will face strict consequences.

The judge emphasized the vulnerable position of children and the need for society to protect them from such abuses, noting the significant trauma inflicted upon the victim and her family.

As part of the judgment, the court also awarded a compensation of ₹10.5 lakh to the victim, recognizing the profound impact of the incident on her mental and emotional well-being.

The Court said, “It is the responsibility of society as a whole to take care of its children & to protect them from their physiological & psychological exploitation at the hands of the sexual abusers. The psychological scars of the sexual abuses during childhood are indelible & they keep haunting the individual forever thereby hindering their proper physical & psychological development".