A Dehradun court has dramatically increased the prison sentence for a boarding school warden convicted of sexually abusing a student. The court overturned a previous two-year jail term, imposing seven years of rigorous imprisonment instead.
Court Delivers Stronger Punishment
Additional District Judge Mahesh Chandra Kaushiva announced the decision on Thursday. The judge ruled that the enhanced sentence serves the interest of justice. The court also ordered the convict to pay a fine of fifteen thousand rupees.
The crime dates back to November 2011. A thirteen-year-old boy from Delhi suffered the assault while attending a boarding school in Dehradun. He was in Class VII at the time.
Traumatic Escape and Family Anguish
The boy's father, a Delhi resident, provided harrowing details in his police complaint. After the warden attacked him, the traumatized child ran nearly seven kilometers to seek help. He reached an acquaintance's house and called his parents to describe the ordeal.
The father explained that he enrolled his son in the Dehradun boarding school during Class V. The incident occurred after the boy returned to school following Diwali holidays. The convicted warden supervised the hostel where the child resided.
During court proceedings, the father revealed his son felt extremely uncomfortable at school because of this tormentor. Before the Diwali break, the boy came home distressed and reluctant to return. He did not speak much about his problems, so the family failed to understand the situation immediately.
Legal Challenges and Supreme Court Reference
Both the accused and the survivor challenged the original verdict in the additional district magistrate's court. The warden argued that the lower court ignored evidence in his defense. The survivor contended that the initial two-year sentence was too lenient for such a heinous crime.
The court examined medical reports and confirmed the boy suffered sexual assault. After reviewing all evidence and hearing arguments, Judge Kaushiva referenced a Supreme Court judgment from March 18, 2011.
The court cited the case of 'Childline India Foundation and others vs Alan John Waters and others'. In that similar matter, the accused received a six-year imprisonment sentence. This precedent supported the decision to enhance the punishment in the Dehradun case.
The ruling emphasizes the judiciary's commitment to protecting children and delivering appropriate justice for serious crimes. The increased sentence reflects a stronger stance against child sexual abuse in educational institutions.
