Court jails Kolkata doctor for sexually assaulting 8-year-old

A court here Tuesday sentenced a homoeopathy doctor to five-year imprisonment for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at a clinic in south Kolkata's Beniapukur.

Describing the act as inhuman and barbaric, additional district and sessions judge at Sealdah Court Jimut Bahan Biswas sentenced doctor Partha Hue under Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act (POCSO), 2012.

The court noted that the doctor had taken the girl into his chamber, keeping her grandmother outside, and had sexually assaulted her on September 19 last year, when she was taken to the clinic for stomach pain.

A complaint was lodged with the Beniapukur police station on September 24 by the child's mother, public prosecutor Vivek Sharma said.

Following investigation, including examination of witnesses, medical report and statement of the child, charge sheet was filed before the court.

The accused claimed to be innocent and that he has been falsely implicated.

The court found the doctor to be guilty and sentenced him to five-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000.

The court also directed the West Bengal government to pay Rs 4 lakh to the survivor under provisions of Victim Compensation Scheme of Indian Penal Code (IPC), read with that of POCSO Act.