Patiala, January 21
The court of Patiala District and Sessions Judge has decided a rape case in just five hearings.

Pronouncing Jiwan Singh (26) of Gobindpura village, Bhadson, guilty of raping a minor under Sections 376 and 452 of the IPC, District and Sessions Judge Raj Shekhar Attri today sentenced the convict to seven years of rigorous imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs 8,000.

The charges in the case were framed on January 8, while the trial began on January 14. Jiwan was accused of forcibly entering the victim’s house on June 29 last year and raping her.

While Jiwan had submitted an application to declare him juvenile, he was found to be an adult prior to the occurrence of the crime. During the trial, the prosecution examined 14 witnesses. Thereafter, the accused was called upon to lead his defence evidence.

On June 29, the 14-year-old victim was alone at her Gobindpura residence when Jiwan forcibly trespassed onto her house and raped her around 1.30 pm. He escaped the scene after the victim’s brother-in-law and mother Nachhatar Kaur knocked at the door from outside.

The victim was taken to the Bhadson Civil Hospital and was medico-legally examined by Dr Harpreet Kaur. She was subsequently referred to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

The judge has recommended the award of compensation to the victim under amended provisions of Section 357-A of the CrPC and ordered that the case be put up before the District Legal Services Authority, Patiala, for the grant of compensation.