New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) A Delhi court has sentenced two school rickshaw drivers to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each for raping a minor girl in 2017, and said they exploited her innocence instead of protecting her.

Additional sessions judge Balwinder Singh refused to grant any leniency, saying both men were mature enough to realise the nature and consequences of their "deplorable acts".

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The court was hearing a case against Sheikh Rashid, 35, and Ganesh, 46, who were convicted under IPC for rape and under Sections 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Additional public prosecutor Paresh Sisodia sought the maximum punishment saying they repeatedly committed the crime on an innocent child before the case was registered in February, 2017.

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In its order of November 6 and recently made available, the court said, "Considering the seriousness of the offence and the totality of all facts and circumstances, the ends of justice will be met if (both) convicts are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 20 years (each) for the offence under Section 6 of the POCSO Act."

Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

"The convicts were aged around 35 years and 46 years, respectively, and had sufficient maturity of understanding the nature and consequence of their deplorable acts," the verdict said.

The men were found to have committed a heinous offence without sparing a thought about the child and considering the age gap.

The court said the child's custody was entrusted with the men as they drove her to school and back and called them a "serious threat to the society" for having subjected the child to an atrocious act to satisfy their lust.

"Instead of showing love, affection and (extending) protection, the convicts made her a victim of their lust," the order said.

The judge went on, "It is a clear case where the trust of the victim and her family has been betrayed and the convicts have breached all social values and morals. Hence, the convicts do not deserve any sympathy or leniency."

The court awarded Rs 1.25 lakh compensation towards the minor survivor's rehabilitation.

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