New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a 'tantrik' to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in the guise of providing treatment to her brother by occult methods.

Additional Sessions Judge Aditi Garg was hearing the case against the 45-year-old man, who was convicted under section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and under section 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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Additional Public Prosecutor Yogita Kaushik Dahiya sought maximum punishment for the convict, saying the man subjected the victim to repeated penetrative sexual assault while treating her brother "by some Tantrik method or jhaad-phoonka" in 2018.

In its verdict dated December 2, the court said, "For the offence under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, the convict is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 20 years and a fine of Rs 15,000."

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The court also sentenced him to three years rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping. "The sentences will run concurrently."

Regarding the aspect of providing compensation, Judge Garg said that subordinate courts trying the offences of sexual assault had the jurisdiction to award compensation to the victims as it was an offence against the basic human rights.

"The concept of welfare and well-being of children is basic for any civilised society and this has a direct bearing on the state of health and well-being of the entire community, its growth and development.

It has been time and again emphasised in legislation, international declarations as well as judicial pronouncements that children are a supremely important national asset and the future of the nation depends on how its children grow and develop," the judge added.

The court awarded Rs 2 lakh compensation to the victim.

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