BAJRANG PAL vs THE STATE (NCT OF DELHI)

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Reserved on : 08.12.2025 Pronounced on : 07.01.2026 Uploaded on : 08.01.2026 + CRL.A. 394/2023 BAJRANG PAL .....Appellant Through: Mr. Shannu Baghel, Mr. Ganpat Ram, Mr. Aakash, Mr. Saksham Kumar, Ms. Disha Gupta, and Mr. Shubham, Advocates. versus THE STATE (NCT OF DELHI) .....Respondents Through: Ms. Shubhi Gupta, APP for State with SI Ramesh Kumar Mr. B. Venkatraman, Advocate (Amicus Curiae) for Complainant CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJ KUMAR OHRI JUDGMENT 1. The present appeal has been preferred by the appellant seeking setting aside of the judgment of conviction dated 31.05.2022 and the order on sentence dated 10.06.2022, whereby the appellant was convicted for the offence punishable under Section 10 POCSO and sentenced to undergo RI for a period of 5 years along with payment of fine of Rs.5,000/-, in default whereof he would undergo SI for 1 year. The fine amount was directed to be released to the prosecutrix as compensation, under Section 357 Cr.P.C. The Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:PREM CRL.A. 394/2023 Page 1 of 10 MOHAN CHOUDHARY Signing Date:08.01.2026 08:22:05 benefit under Section 428 Cr.P.C. was extended to the appellant. 2. Briefly put, the case of the prosecution is that on 05.01.2014 at about 7:00 p.m., while the complainant „B‟ was present in her room, the appellant, who was residing as a tenant in the same building, called the complainant‟s 6-year-old daughter, „BK‟, to his room on the pretext of giving her snacks. After some time, when her daughter did not return despite being called, the complainant went outside to search for her. While passing by the room of the appellant, she heard her daughter screaming, upon which she entered the room and found her lying on the knee of the appellant, wh