Panaji Special POCSO Court rules that a minor’s consent has no legal validity, convicts accused of statutory rape.
The Special POCSO Court in Panaji has sentenced a Bihar native to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting a minor girl.
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The convicted accused, identified as Mohammed Jhunnu, was held guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. While delivering the verdict, the court reaffirmed that a minor’s consent has no legal validity and cannot be used as a defence in cases involving sexual offences against children.
The court observed that any sexual act involving a minor amounts to statutory rape under the provisions of the POCSO Act, irrespective of whether the victim is alleged to have consented.
Accordingly, the court sentenced Jhunnu to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for the offence. The judgment reinforces the legal protection afforded to children under the POCSO Act and reiterates that consent is legally irrelevant when the victim is below the age of 18.
Further details of the case and the circumstances leading to the conviction were not immediately available.
