Youth gets three-and-a-half months jail for kidnapping minor

A Delhi court has sentenced a 19-year-old youth, convicted of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl, to three-and-a-half months in jail, the period already spent by him behind bars, "considering his young age and future prospects".
The court acquitted Ravinder Kumar Yadav, a Delhi resident, of the charge of sexual assault under POCSO Act noting that there was neither forensic evidence against him nor did the girl support the allegations.
The girl had deposed that she ran away from her father as he had "an evil eye" on her. She said the accused did not commit any wrong act with her nor did he establish any physical relations with her.

Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Manan imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on Yadav, who was convicted of the offence under section 363 (kidnapping) of the IPC.
"This court is of the view that period of detention of the accused after his arrest is sufficient to meet the ends of justice. He has remained in custody for over three months. Keeping in view the age of convict and his future prospects, this is a sufficient period of time for him against offences punishable under Section 363 IPC," the judge said.
The court, while convicting Yadav, noted that he had confessed to the crime and pleaded guilty.

"As far as the offence punishable under section 363 of the IPC is concerned, the accused has voluntarily pleaded guilty. Otherwise also, it is in the testimony of the girl's father that without his permission, the accused took her along with him. It is proved on record that the accused was apprehended with the girl," it said.

According to prosecution, FIR was registered on complaint of the girl's father alleging that his daughter went missing on April 28, 2014. He suspected that Yadav had enticed her and taken her away.
Two months later, the girl and the accused were apprehended but the girl said she ran away from her father as he had an evil eye on her and was trying to sell her.

During the trial, the accused admitted his guilt of enticing the girl and taking her away without permission from her lawful guardian but denied sexual assault allegations.