4 given death penalty for rape in Raj after new law for cases where victims are up to 12 yrs of age

Four persons have been given death penalty in three cases of rape with minors in Rajasthan since March, when the state introduced a provision for capital punishment if the rape victim is up to 12 years of age, a top police officer said here.

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) O.P Galhotra said that all police officers have been directed to take swift action in cases of POCSO Act and file charge sheet in courts.

The Rajasthan government had passed The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2018 in March entailing death penalty for rape convicts if the victime is up to 12 years of age.

Galhotra, in a statement, said that a rape case was registered at Jhalawar Kotwali on February 14 in which the victim was a six-year-old girl. A charge sheet was filed on February 28 in court after the probe was completed in 16 days. The court sentenced the accused to death on August 24, 2018.

Three other accused, two in Barmer and one in Lakshmangarh of Alwar district, were awarded death penalty in rape cases with minors.

He said that 56 special courts (POCSO court) have been notified in the state to deal with cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The first POCSO court was set up in Jaipur on July 10, 2017. Law and legal affairs department had issued a notification on August 6 to set up 55 new POCSO courts, he added.