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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Yamunanagar court delivers 7-year sentence in minor girl's harassment case within 5 months 25 days
File Image The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Ranjana Aggarwal in Yamunanagar has sentenced Shahbaz Khan alias Ashu (35) to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh for committing obscene acts and harassing a 14-year-old minor girl to forcibly befriend a boy. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, just five months and 25 days after the complaint was filed. According to public prosecutor Gurudev Tandon, the case dates back to an incident in the Hamida area under Yamunanagar City Police Station jurisdiction. A 14-year-old girl received a phone call that visibly distressed her. When her father inquired, she revealed that a man had been continuously harassing her and coercing her into forming a friendship with a boy, who belongs to another community. Recognizing the seriousness of the matter, her father promptly lodged a police complaint. The father reported that on November 18, 2024, he overheard a conversation between his daughter and her friend in which it was revealed that a man had been stalking, harassing, and forcing the girl into a friendship. The girl further disclosed that the accused had made obscene gestures and threatened to kill her if she informed her parents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo ASDJ Ranjana Aggarwal said in her order, 'The convict has committed extremely serious offences. These kinds of offences, if allowed to continue unchecked, have the potential to jeopardize the sovereignty and integrity of our country.' Taking swift action, the police launched an investigation led by Woman ASI Meenakshi. A thorough scientific investigation was conducted, and the prosecution presented strong evidence in court. The case was closely monitored under the "Operation Conviction" initiative, with a dedicated monitoring cell ensuring effective legal follow-up. The police recorded the minor girl's statement before a magistrate and arrested the accused, identified as Shahbaz Khan alias Ashu. The court is also handling a separate case related to the juvenile boy involved in the coercion attempt. Prosecutor Tandon stated that the court had already found Shahbaz guilty in the case, and the sentencing was announced on Thursday. The court imposed sentences under Section 8 (punishment for sexual assault) with 17 (punishment for abetment) and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) with 17 of the POCSO Act and 351 (2) (criminal ) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: four years, two years, and one year respectively. The terms will run consecutively, meaning the convict will serve each sentence one after the other. Tandon further revealed that Shahbaz had faced a similar accusation earlier, but the case had collapsed due to witnesses withdrawing their statements. However, in the present case, the minor stood firm in her testimony before the magistrate, and her family members and other witnesses remained consistent in their statements, leading to the conviction. Calling it a landmark judgment, Tandon praised the judiciary for delivering justice in under six months—a rare feat in such cases. This ruling is seen as a strong message against harassment of minors and a testament to the importance of prompt and fearless witness testimonies.
Mint
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Who is Pulkit Arya? Uttarakhand resort owner sentenced to life imprisonment in Ankita Bhandari murder case
The Additional District and Sessions Judge Court Kotdwar in the Pauri district of Uttarakhand on Friday convicted Pulkit Arya and two others and sentenced them to life imprisonment in the murder case of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari. Pulkit Arya, along with his two associates Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were found guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Additional District and Sessions Judge Reena Negi sentenced the three accused in the case, according to prosecution lawyer Ajay Pant. All of them were sentenced to life imprisonment, and have been asked to pay fines. 'All three accused have been sentenced to life imprisonment. They have been convicted under Section 302, sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of ₹ 50,000. On the appeal of the prosecution, a fine of ₹ 4 lakh was ordered to be paid to the victim's parents as compensation. The full judgment is yet to come. We had presented forty-seven witnesses,' Ankita's lawyer Avnish Negi said. Pulkit Arya used to be the resort operator of Vanantra Resort located in Yamkeshwar of Pauri district, where Ankita Bhandari (19) used to work as a receptionist. Arya, along with Bhaskar and Gupta, were convicted of murdering Ankita on September 18, 2022, sparking widespread outrage. Apart from being a resort operator, Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. As soon as the matter came to light, the party showed the door to Vinod Arya, who was the chairman of Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board and the BJP Other Backward Classes (OBC) Morcha's national executive. Pulkit Arya, the main accused in the case and the resort owner, was arrested on September 23, 2022. The body of the victim, who went missing on September 18 that year, was found five days later on September 22. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh, following which an SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi started initial probes into the case. The three convicts were accused of throwing the victim into a barrage and killing her. According to the prosecution, Bhandari and Arya had a dispute over something after which the trio pushed the woman into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh.
