Guwahati, May 15: In a landmark ruling against child sexual exploitation, a special POCSO court in Assam sentenced Mohar Ali to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the crime of rape. The court also imposed a fine of ₹25,000, with an additional six months of imprisonment if the fine is not paid.
The incident occurred on July 7, 2022, in the village of Kathalguri, under the Kokrajhar Sadar police station area. According to the prosecution, Mohar Ali allegedly lured a minor girl to a secluded jute field near the Gourang River, where he sexually assaulted her.
The victim’s family later filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Kokrajhar Sadar police station, prompting an investigation. The accused was arrested and charged under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The trial in the special POCSO court included testimonies from the victim and her family, along with medical and forensic evidence supporting the prosecution’s case.
Manjit Ghosh, the special public prosecutor representing the prosecution, described the verdict as a significant step towards justice. Speaking to reporters outside the court, Ghosh emphasized that the ruling reflects the court’s careful examination of evidence and its commitment to protecting children from sexual crimes.
This decision comes amid growing concerns over rising cases of child sexual abuse in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 1,500 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in Assam in 2023.
Child rights activists and social organizations welcomed the verdict, calling for swift resolutions in such cases and stricter enforcement of child protection laws.
The sentence aligns with recent judicial trends, where POCSO courts have imposed stringent penalties in cases involving sexual offenses against minors.
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