NEW DELHI: A
Delhi court has sentenced a man to
seven years in jail for raping of a 20-year-old woman in 2014, observing that rape is one of the most
barbaric and heinous crimes and the loss suffered by the woman cannot be forgotten or forgiven.
The court, which awarded a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the woman, an east Delhi resident, also termed rape as a "gruesome" and "abhorring" act which instills a feeling of fear, insecurity and a brooding sense of shame and guilt for no fault of the victim.
Additional sessions judge Anurag Sain awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment to Bihar-resident Md Javed and said it was a "devastating moment" in the woman's life which can neither be repaired nor forgotten or forgiven.
"The rape is a gruesome, abhorring and ghastly act wherein a man acts as slave of his martinet and lowers himself to a baffling extent for the sole purpose of achieving gratification of his carnal desire. It leaves a permanent scar on the personality of the woman, inhibiting growth and development.
"It instills a feeling of fear, insecurity and a brooding sense of shame and guilt for no fault of the woman. Rape is one of the most barbaric and heinous crime. It is a devastating moment in the life of the prosecutrix, which cannot be repaired and the loss cannot be forgotten or forgiven," the court said.
Advocate Varsha Ahluwalia, the counsel for Delhi Commission for Women, sought maximum compensation for the victim considering the mental trauma suffered by her.
The court asked the Delhi State Legal Service Authority to pay the compensation amount to the victim after noting that the convict was not in a position to pay any compensation.
"The convict is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000 for the offence...," the court said.
While awarding the sentence, the court said that the convict disregarded the "moral and social values" and ruined the life of the woman.
The court also added that it was evident that the convict treated the woman only as an object to fulfil his lust.
According to the complaint, on December 29, 2014, Javed, a contractor who was at the house of the victim to oversee some construction work, had raped the woman and escaped when her mother came looking for her.
However, during the trial, he pleaded not guilty saying it was a false case and the woman established sexual relationship with him out of her own free will.
Additional sessions judge Anurag Sain awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment to Md Javed.