Uttar Pradesh: Court Convicts Man For Kidnapping, Raping 15-Year-Old Based On School Documents As Proof Of Age

Lakhimpur Kheri: A court in this Uttar Pradesh district has convicted a man for kidnapping and raping a girl after determining her age on the basis of documents related to her education.

Assistant District Government Counsel (ADGC) Sanjay Singh said Additional District and Sessions Judge Devendra Nath Singh has convicted one Tribhuvan for the rape and kidnapping of the minor, sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment and also slapped a fine of Rs 16,000 on him.

The ADGC said the court also found the accused guilty under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (kidnapping to compel marriage) of the Indian Penal Code, sentencing him to five and seven years of rigorous imprisonment respectively. The court's order, dated July 29, specified that all sentences will run concurrently.

The conviction stems from a case that dates back to 2011 within the Isanagar police station limits. The victim's father had accused Tribhuvan of kidnapping his daughter, confining her for months and raping her, the ADGC said.

The case highlighted a discrepancy in the victim's age determination. While her radiological age, based on a medical examination, was reported to be around 19 years, the court gave precedence to her educational testimonials.

The ADGC confirmed that the court relied on the victim's primary school enrolment register and school-transfer certificate, which definitively established her age as 15 years at the time of the incident.

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