Jaipur: A local court yesterday handed down capital punishment to a man for the rape and murder of a mentally-retarded minor girl in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan early this year.
The District and Sessions Judge pronounced the death sentence to Manoj Singh in less seven month of trial at Rajsamand district headquarters, a press release issued by the police said.
It is the first ruling under the new law Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, 2012 (POCSO) Act in the country and various sections of IPC including 363, 365, 302, 376 (2) (8) for abduction, rape and murder against the convict who is from Basantpur of Mahrajganj district in Uttar Pradesh.
The prosecution had argued that the convict had abducted the 8-year girl on his bike when her parents were selling vegetables on a cart on the evening of January 17, 2013.
The parents had lodged the FIR with the Kankroli police station, and Manoj was arrested.
Superintendent of Police in Rajsamand Ram Deo Singh said the charge sheet was filed in the court in a months' time and the court gave death penalty after a seven-month trial.
