Kota (Rajasthan): A special POCSO court in Baran near here Tuesday sentenced two men to life terms each for abducting and raping two teenage girls over five years ago. Baran Special Judge Rakesh Katara also imposed a fine of Rs 1,00,000 each on convicts Naresh Panchal, 25, and Sheru alias Shahid, 24. The court held them guilty of abducting, confining wrongfully and raping the two minor girls in March 2015.
Special Public Prosecutor Mahesh Tyagi said the case against the duo was lodged in Anta police station in Baran, March 21, 2015 on the complaint of the father of one of the girls.
The girl’s father had told police in his complaint that his 15-year-old daughter has gone missing along with her 16-year-old friend from their homes. He also alleged that the two girls are suspected to have been abducted by their neighbours Naresh Panchal and Sheru as the girls were last seen with them.
The Anta police subsequently registered an FIR against the duo under sections 363 and 366 of the IPC for the offences of kidnapping and abducting a woman to induce or compel her for marriage and took up the investigation.
The two minor girls were subsequently traced after around two months from two separate places in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Police arrested the two accused.
Following the arrests, the police also incorporated section 376 of IPC for rape and section 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), SPP Tyagi said.
The court also sentenced the duo to 10 and seven years in jail respectively for kidnapping and wrongfully confining the two teenagers, informed Tyagi.