Kolkata: A special POCSO court in Siliguri, West Bengal, has sentenced Md Abbas to death for the brutal rape and murder of a minor girl last year. On 7th September, the court awarded him the death penalty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
In addition to the death sentence, Md Abbas was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years and ten years under Section 363 of the IPC. He was also fined ₹50,000 and ₹5,000 for his other offenses. However, as per the legal procedure, the execution of the death sentence requires confirmation from the High Court.
West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari shared a copy of the judgment on social media platform X and expressed his approval of the verdict.
Prosecution’s Arguments and Court’s Verdict
Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee emphasized the heinous nature of the crime, terming it one of the "rarest of the rare cases." He noted, “The death sentence was awarded under two consecutive sections—Section 302 (murder) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act. Additionally, the court awarded seven years imprisonment for another offense and ₹10 lakh compensation for the victim’s family.”
After the court's ruling, Md Abbas announced his intention to appeal against the verdict and seek free legal aid as per the rules. The court also awarded ₹10,00,000 to the victim's family, acknowledging the severe nature of the crime under the POCSO Act.
The Gruesome Crime
Md Abbas was arrested on 21st August 2023 for the horrific rape and murder of the minor girl. The victim, a Class 11 student at a Nepali medium school, was attacked by Abbas while she was returning home from school. He lured her into an abandoned house in Rabindrapally, where he attempted to rape her. When she resisted, Abbas smashed her face with a brick.
Locals rushed to the scene after hearing her screams and found her lying in a pool of blood, still in her school uniform. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after. Her face was so brutally disfigured that it was unrecognizable. Md Abbas was arrested the same day based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts. He later confessed to the crime during police interrogation.
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