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* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Reserved on: 04.07.2024 Pronounced on: 26.07.2024 + CRL.A. 1/2024 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 1/2024 BHARAT JAINA .....Appellant Through: Mr. Sunil Choudhary (DHCLSA) and Ms. Preeti Shah, Advocates versus STATE NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Naresh Kumar Chahar, APP for the State with SI Pinki, P.S. Nihal Vihar CORAM:

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE SWARANA KANTA SHARMA

J U D G M E N T

Index to the Judgment FACTUAL BACKGROUND .......................................................................... 3 SUBMISSIONS BEFORE THE COURT ...................................................... 5 ANALYSIS & FINDINGS ............................................................................... 9 i. Age of the Victim Child ...................................................................... 9 ii. Statements and Testimonies of the Prosecution Witnesses ............. 10 Child Victim’s Statement under Section 164 of Cr.P.C. ................................. 10 Child Victim’s Testimony ...................................................................................... 10 Mother’s Testimony ................................................................................................ 12 Sister’s Testimony .................................................................................................... 13 Father’s Testimony .................................................................................................. 13 CRL.A. 1/2024 Page 1 of 30 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed iii. Defence Evidence: An Overview ...................................................... 14 Statement of Accused ............................................................................................. 14 Testimony of DW-1 ................................................................................................ 14 Testimony of DW-2 ................................................................................................ 15 iv. Offence under Sections 363 and 366 of IPC: Whether proved against the appellant? ..................................................................................... 16 Appellant’s conviction under Section 363 of IPC ............................................ 17 Appellant’s conviction under Section 366 of IPC ............................................ 19 Appellant’s Plea of Alibi ......................................................................................... 20 v. Whether the offence of Rape or Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault has been proved against the appellant? ............................... 23 vi. The Decision ..................................................................................... 30 SWARANA KANTA SHARMA, J.

1. The appellant Bharat Jaina has preferred this appeal under Section 374(2) read with Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 („Cr.P.C.‟) against the judgment dated 25.08.2023 and order on sentence dated 18.09.2023, passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge (POCSO), West District, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi („Trial Court‟), in CRN No. DLWT0l-002433-2018, arising out of FIR No. 27/2018, registered at Police Station Nihal Vihar, for offences punishable under Sections 363/366/376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 („IPC‟) and Section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 („POCSO Act‟).

2. The appellant has been convicted and sentenced by the learned Trial Court, in the present case, in the manner as follows:

(i) to undergo twelve years of rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs. 10,000/-, for offence under Section 6 of POCSO Act, and in default, to undergo simple imprisonment for one month CRL.A. 1/2024 Page 2 of 30 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed (ii) to undergo two years of rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs. 2,000/- under Section 363 of IPC, and in default, to undergo simple imprisonment for fifteen days; and (iii) to undergo five years of rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs. 2,000/- under Sec