Patna High Court orders release of sexagenarian after 10 years in prison in POCSO case

The court delivered the judgment on an appeal filed by Mahmood Alam (appellant), who was earlier sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of INR 50,000 for raping a minor.

The trial court also ordered payment of INR 4 lakhs as compensation to the victim.

The appellant contested the decision of the trial court. Among other arguments, he claimed he was falsely implicated in the case after rejecting a proposal by the victim’s family to marry her off to one of his sons.

However, the High Court rejected this argument.

“There is no case in the defense that the appellant was falsely implicated in his refusal to marry his son to the victim. Moreover, given the compelling evidence that the appellant took the victim to Banaras and stayed at a lodge. there for two days corroborate the prosecutor’s testimony with her.” said the Court.