Leniency to accused in sexual offences 'undesirable': HC

NEW DELHI: Leniency in matters involving sexual offences is undesirable and against public interest, the Delhi High Court has said while denying relief to a man sentenced to five years in jail for sodomising a teenaged boy 13 years ago.

"Sexual violence apart from being a dehumanising act is an unlawful intrusion of the right to privacy and sanctity of a victim.

"It offends his/her self-esteem and dignity- it degrades and humiliates the victim and where the victim is a helpless innocent child, it leaves behind a traumatic experience. Thus, leniency in matters involving sexual offences is undesirable and against public interest," a bench of Justice S P Garg said.

"The assailants took turns to ravish the child and caused injuries on his body. Sexual violence apart from being a dehumanising act is an unlawful intrusion of the right to privacy and sanctity of a victim.

"The appellant's crime is the result of a perverse mind," the court said in its brief judgement.

The bench was hearing the appeal of Gulfam alias Ghoda Singh who was sentenced to a five-year jail term for abducting a 16-year-old boy in central Delhi area on knife-point and sodomising him on the intervening night of August 24-25, 2000.

He was assisted in the crime by Imran who was also convicted by the court but his sentence was quashed by the high court as he managed to convince it that he was a juvenile on the day of the incident.

Gulfam, who was 21 years old at the time of incident, did not challenge the conviction but pleaded that he be released on the imprionment already undergone which was about three years.