Renowned dwarf comedian Darshan has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl from Haryana. According to media reports, the verdict was delivered on Monday (March 17) by the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) Sunil Jindal in Hisar. Darshan is a comedian known for his YouTube videos.
On March 11, Darshan was found guilty and he has since remained in police custody. Along with 20 years' imprisonment, he has been asked to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh under the POCSO Act.
The case traces back to September 2020, when the mother of a minor girl from a village in the Agroha area lodged a police complaint. She alleged that Darshan had deceived the girl by promising her a role in one of his productions.
Media reports have stated that according to the victim's lawyer, Rekha Mittal, the comedian contacted the minor on September 21, 2020, and asked her to come for a video shoot.
Following the video shoot, Darshan reportedly insisted that the minor accompany him to Chandigarh. When she refused, he allegedly threatened her, leaving her frightened. He then, along with his brother, forcibly took her to Chandigarh on his bike, where he allegedly raped her in a hotel room.
According to reports, the comedian falsified documents to portray her as an adult and, with the help of an organisation, forced her into marriage.
The girl later returned home and confided in her mother about the ordeal, leading to Darshan's arrest. Although he was initially granted bail, he was taken back into custody following his conviction.
Along with the prison sentence and fine, the court has also directed the comedian to pay Rs 2 lakh in compensation to the victim.
