UP horror: Ex-govt junior engineer, wife abused 33 minor boys for years, get death penalty

A couple in Uttar Pradesh has received the death penalty for the sexual abuse of 33 minor boys over a decade. Ram Bhawan, 50, a former government junior engineer, and his wife Durgawati, 47, were convicted of abusing the boys between 2010 and 2020.

The court found the couple guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). They were convicted for systematically luring and abusing young boys, some as young as three years old. The couple was also found to have created and circulated child sexual abuse material internationally. The court stated that their actions were in the "rarest of rare category" and offered no scope for reformation.

Investigators reported that the couple targeted boys from economically weaker families in their neighborhood. The children were allegedly lured with incentives such as money, food, mobile phones, internet access, and online video games. Once trust was established, the boys were sexually assaulted within the couple's residence. The abuse was reportedly recorded on mobile phones and other digital devices. Prosecutors informed the court that these recordings were sold and circulated online, including on encrypted platforms and the dark web. Investigators alleged that customers accessed this material in as many as 47 countries.


The case came to light after Interpol flagged child sexual abuse material circulating on the dark web. After it was traced back to the couple, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) then took over the investigation. An FIR was registered by the CBI on October 31, 2020, against Ram Bhawan, Durgawati, and others. The allegations included sexual abuse and the creation and dissemination of child sexual abuse material.

During the investigation, officials seized digital devices and gathered electronic records. Medical examinations of the victims were conducted, and their statements were recorded. A chargesheet was filed on February 10, 2021.

The prosecution presented survivor testimonies, medical expert reports, and digital evidence recovered from seized phones and storage devices during the trial.

The court observed that the offenses caused severe physical and psychological harm to the children. Some victims required hospital treatment for injuries, while others developed complications, including squint eyes. The judge noted that the abuse had continued for nearly a decade and involved a large number of children, describing the acts as systematic and exploitative.

In addition to the capital sentence, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the 33 victims.