Shimla: Handing out a ten year rigorous jail sentence, a court here convicted one Vinod Kumar by holding him guilty of having raped a deaf and dump girl in 2009 at a city base orphanage.
Additional session judge Virender Sharma, Thursday, sentenced Vinod Kumar, a resident of Gulailla village of Sarkaghat in Mandi district after holding him guilty of the crime under section 376 of IPC to 10 years in jail and slapped a Rs 25000 fine also.
Public prosecutor AK Dhiman and joint director prosecution PR Patil pleaded the case on behalf of the state.
A case of sexual exploitation of six inmates at a deaf and dumb girl orphanage cum school run by Prerna Welfare Association, a NGO at Totu in a Shimla suburb, was registered in 2009.
It was during patrolling that police got information about the crime infested institution and a raid was conducted on March 19, 2009.
Four persons, who were house teachers at the Deaf and Dumb school ( Braille instructors) including the convict were booked under sec 376 of IPC and arrested for committing the heinous offence on hapless deaf and dumb girls.
Rape was confirmed by a medical examination conducted by investigating officer Shakuntla Sharma, who on completion of the investigation put the challan before the court.
After hearing the witnesses and arguments of both the prosecution and the defense, the court today found one guilty of the crime. The other three were acquitted of the charges.
The accused was present in court when the judge pronounced the judgment. The court held that in case of any default in paying the fine imposed the convict would have to undergo an additional year in jail.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
