UP Shocker: Ex-Junior Engineer, Wife Given Death Sentence For Decade-Long Systematic Sexual Assault Of 33 Minor Boys, Including A Few 3-Year-Olds, Court Dubs Heinous Act ‘Rarest Of Rare’

A Special POCSO Court in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced a husband and wife to death for the sexual assault of 33 minors.

The court awarded the death penalty to Rambhawan and his wife, Durgawati, after convicting them of multiple offences under the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act, including aggravated penetrative sexual assault, unnatural offences, exploitation of children for pornographic purposes, possession of child sexual abuse material, abetment, and criminal conspiracy.

In imposing the harshest penalty, the court characterized the accused’s actions as ‘rarest of rare,’ highlighting the extraordinary depravity and organized nature of their crimes, which entailed the systematic sexual exploitation and abuse of 33 minor children.

The court also instructed the Government to pay compensation of ₹10 lakh to each victim. Additionally, it ordered that the cash recovered from the accused’s residence be divided equally among the victims.

In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Rambhawan and several unidentified individuals for allegedly sexually abusing children, exploiting them for pornographic purposes, and producing and distributing child sexual abuse material online.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused had committed various acts of perversion, including aggravated penetrative sexual assault against 33 male children, some as young as three years old. The investigation also found that some victims suffered injuries to their private parts during the assaults. Some were admitted to hospital, and a few developed squint eyes. The victims continue to suffer from psychological trauma caused by the accused.

Between 2010 and 2020, the accused were active in the Banda and Chitrakoot regions of Uttar Pradesh. Rambhawan was employed as a Junior Engineer in the Irrigation Department. The accused employed various methods to lure children, including giving access to online video games and offering money or gifts.

CBI carried out an investigation

The CBI carried out a meticulous investigation, prioritising the emotional well-being of minor victims through counselling. The agency coordinated closely with forensic experts, medical professionals specialising in child sexual abuse, and child protection authorities. Additionally, digital evidence was handled and preserved with utmost care.

After completing the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet in 2021 against Rambhawan and his wife, Durgawati. Charges were framed in 2023.

“The sheer scale of this victimisation across multiple districts, combined with the extreme moral turpitude of the convicts, marks this as a crime of such an exceptional and heinous nature that it leaves no room for reformation, necessitating the ultimate judicial deterrent to meet the ends of justice,” said a CBI officer.

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