Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): A POCSO court sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined him ₹8,000 for raping a minor on the pretext of a false marriage promise in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur.
It is reported that the accused befriended the victim on Instagram through a false marriage promise and forcibly entered her home and assaulted her while her parents were away.
District Prosecution Officer (DPO) Pravesh Ahirwar stated that the accused had contacted the minor via Instagram about a month prior to the incident.
During their conversations, he won her trust by falsely promising to marry her.
On July 1, 2025, while the victim's parents were away attending a function and she was alone at home, the accused forcibly entered the house around 1:00 PM and raped her.
When family members arrived at the scene after hearing a commotion, the accused fled while threatening to kill them.
Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered at the Chhatarpur Women's Police Station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act.
Given the gravity of the matter, the district-level committee had classified it as a sensational case.
Special Public Prosecutors Pravesh Kumar Ahirwar and Hemant Bajoliya argued the case on behalf of the prosecution.
Based on evidence and witness testimonies, the court sentenced the accused to 5 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹3,000 under Section 332(2) of the BNS, and to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹5,000 under Section 3 read with Section 4(2) of the POCSO Act.
