Basar Special Court Sentences Convict to 20 Years in POCSO Case
The Special POCSO Court at Basar convicted a 24-year-old man for kidnapping and repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor, directing the fine to the victim’s rehabilitation.
BASAR- The Court of the Special Judge (POCSO) and Additional District & Sessions Court at Basar in Arunachal Pradesh’s Leparada district has sentenced a 24-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl.
The judgment was pronounced on August 21, 2026, by Smt. Jaweplu Chai, Special Judge (POCSO), Basar, in POCSO Case No. 02/2024, arising from Daporijo Police Station Case No. 22/2024. The accused, Deepak Debnath, was convicted under Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
According to the case records cited in the press note, Debnath, who was working as a cook at a local restaurant in Daporijo, kidnapped a 13-year-and-8-month-old girl on March 19, 2024, from New Market, Daporijo. The minor was subsequently taken to Dumporijo and unlawfully confined at different locations, where the records state that she was subjected to repeated sexual assault.
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The case came to light after the victim’s mother lodged an FIR at Daporijo Police Station on March 25, 2024. A police team led by Sub-Inspector T. Kaye subsequently traced and rescued the minor and apprehended the accused.
After examining the evidence presented during the trial, the Special Court found that the victim was a minor at the time of the incident and that the prosecution had established the offences. The court accordingly convicted the accused under Section 363 IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
For the kidnapping offence under Section 363 IPC, the court awarded five years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹3,000, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of default. For the offence under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, the convict was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹20,000, with an additional one year in default of payment. The sentences will run concurrently.
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In an important direction concerning the victim’s welfare, the court ordered that the fine amount, once realised, be disbursed directly to the minor victim for her rehabilitation, in accordance with Section 6(2) of the POCSO Act. The period already spent in detention during the investigation and trial will also be set off against the sentence as provided by law.
Special Public Prosecutor (POCSO) Smt. Karken Angu represented the State during the proceedings. The convict was also informed of his right to appeal before a higher court and his entitlement to legal aid for pursuing such proceedings.
The judgment underscores the stringent legal consequences for offences against children and also highlights the importance of timely reporting, effective investigation, coordinated law-enforcement action and a child-sensitive justice process.
