New Delhi, Apr 14 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment of seven years for committing penetrative sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl in 2017, saying the punishment should be commensurate with the gravity of the loathsome act so as it serves as an effective deterrence to the like-minded persons.

Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar, who also sentenced the man’s sister-in-law to seven years imprisonment for abetting the sexual assault, observed that the psychological scars of the sexual abuses during childhood are indelible and they keep haunting the victim.

The court was hearing the arguments on sentencing against the 28-year-old man and his sister-in-law. The man had been convicted on April 2 under Section 4 (penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act, while his sister-in-law was convicted under Section 17 (punishment for abetment) read with Section 4 of the act.

The court has awarded Rs 10.5 lakh compensation to the victim.

Additional public prosecutor Yogita Kaushik Dahiya said that the man committed the reprehensible act of sexually assaulting the minor in December 2017 while his sister-in-law bolted the door from outside, thereby facilitating the loathsome offence.

In its order dated April 8, the court said, “The psychological scars of the sexual abuses during childhood are indelible, and they keep haunting the individual forever, thereby hindering their proper physical and psychological development.

“Thus, the penalty awarded to the convict should be commensurate with the gravity of the loathsome act so as it serves as an effective deterrance to the like-minded persons,” it added.

It then sentenced both convicts to rigorous imprisonment of seven years each.

Regarding the aspect of compensation, the court said, “Because of the said incident, not only the victim but her entire family members have been subjected to humiliation and insult by the society and incident has left grave impact on her mental, physical and emotional being for which she needs financial support.” PTI MNR NB NB