Minor Stepdaughter Assault Case: POCSO court frames additional charges against Assam doctor couple

Guwahati: After a doctor couple was arrested last year for allegedly abusing and torturing their adopted 4-year-old girl, a POCSO Court has framed charges against the accused doctor couple under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.    

If convicted, the couple could face the most severe penalties under the Act, which deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault and mandates rigorous imprisonment for a minimum of 20 years, extending up to life imprisonment.

Besides the court pressing additional charges on them, the male doctor has been facing multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The specific charges include Section 376 AB of the IPC Pertaining to the rape of a woman under 12 years of age, which carries a minimum punishment of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, extendable to life, Sections 466 and 471 of the IPC (Related to forgery of court records and using forged documents as genuine, punishable by up to 7 years of imprisonment and fines) and Section 370 (5) of the IPC (Concerning trafficking of more than one person, punishable with a minimum of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, which may extend to life).

Also read- Assam Doctor Couple Held For Allegedly Torturing, Abusing Adopted 4-Year-Old

Similarly, the female doctor was charged under the IPC including Section 376 AB of the IPC (Punishment for raping a woman under the age of 12), Section 326 A of the IPC (Pertaining to causing grievous hurt by acid attack), Sections 466 and 471 of the IPC (Forgery and use of forged documents), Section 370 (5) of the IPC (Trafficking of more than one person), The Sentinel reports.

Both the doctors are also charged under Sections 75, 80, and 81 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, which deals with cruelty to children, using children for illegal activities, and exploitation of children for labour. These offences carry severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines.

Medical Dialogues team in May 2023 reported that the doctor couple was arrested for allegedly abusing and torturing a 4-year-old girl after being rescued in a state of dehydration with hands tied to a pole on the terrace at their house.

The duo include a Psychiatrist from Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district who was arrested a day after her husband, a gastrointestinal and advanced general surgeon, was held from his residence in the capital city of Assam.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nandini Kakati said that police received information that a 4-year-old minor girl's hands were tied to a pole on the terrace and police immediately rushed to the spot and rescued the minor girl.

During the interrogation, the doctor confessed that he used to hit the minor with an iron rod and even poured hot water on her body. After the police caught their caretaker, she alleged that the doctor had asked her to punish the kid on the terrace as punishment for the child's disobedience.