MUKESH PURI vs GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Reserved on : 06.08.2025 Pronounced on : 08.08.2025 + CRL.A. 920/2023 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 1622/2025 MUKESH PURI .....Appellant Through: Mr. Kunal Malhotra, Mr. Ravinder Gaur and Mr. Shivansh Bhateja, Advocates. versus GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Ms. Shubhi Gupta, APP for State with S.I. Sangeeta Malik alongwith S.I. Usha Rani, P.S. J.P. Kalan Ms. Shelly Dixit, Amicus Curiae for the Complainant CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJ KUMAR OHRI JUDGMENT 1. By way of the present appeal, the appellant seeks to assail the judgment of conviction dated 11.05.2023 and the order on sentence dated 22.07.2023, passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge-01, POCSO, Dwarka Courts, New Delhi, in SC No. 650/2017 arising out of FIR No. 661/2017 registered under Sections 10 and 9(m) POCSO at P.S. Bindapur, Delhi. Vide the aforesaid judgment and order on sentence, the appellant was Signature Not Verified Signed By:GAUTAM CRL.A. 920/2023 Page 1 of 9 ASWAL Signing Date:11.08.2025 18:45:56 convicted under Section 10 read with Section 9(m) POCSO and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 5 years along with a fine of Rs.30,000/-, in default whereof he was directed to further undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 30 days. Benefit under Section 428 Cr.P.C. was extended to the appellant. 2. The prosecution’s case in a nutshell is that on 06.09.2017, the 5-year- old child victim, accompanied by her 8-year-old cousin, went to a photo studio to collect photographs, and while at the studio, the appellant called the child victim over, unzipped his pants, and forced her to touch his private parts. Distressed, the child victim hurried home and informed her mother of the incident. Based on her statement, an FIR was lodged