Team News Riveting
Raipur, February 23
In what could be termed as the fastest trial in Chhattisgarh, a POCSO court in Balod district has sentenced a man to 20 years imprisonment for raping a five-year-old girl.
The perpetrator of the heinous and inhuman crime was punished after just 87 days of legal proceedings. And it has been possible as the Balod police and its chief Sadanand Kumar showed sensitivity; filing the chargesheet in the case within 48 hours of the crime.
On 25 November last, the matter came to the notice of Sadanand Kumar when the mother of the victim filed a complaint with the Balod police, reporting rape of her five-year-old girl. The 2010-barch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sadanand Kumar took a serious note and asked the investigating officer to complete the probe and arrest the accused at the earliest. He gave them the shortest deadline.
While Sadanand Kumar himself monitored the minutes of the investigation, a special team was constituted. The team however matched to his expectation and completed all the legal formalities including the daunting task of medical care of the victim. The accused, identified as Rajkumar Salam (25), son of Bir Singh Salam of Bhaisbod village, was nabbed. The prompt proceedings facilitated filing the chargesheet within 48 hours.
Sensing the sensitivity of the case, the court fast-tracked the proceedings by recording witnesses, arguments and counter arguments; convicting the accused and issuing the judgment in just 87 days.
Sadanand Kumar said the judgment would have come in the last month (January) itself if the COVID complications were at ease.
