Beta, now live your life: Delhi judge's message to 10-year-old rape survivor

“Now beta, live your life, go to school, make friends, laugh, play, dream.”

These were among the words Additional Sessions Judge Rajani Ranga wrote in her sentencing order to a girl, who was then seven-year-old, and was raped in 2023, legal news website LiveLaw reported. Following this, the Delhi High Court directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to print the message and ensure it reaches the now 10-year-old survivor, along with Rs 10.50 lakh in compensation awarded to her family.

The message was written by Judge Ranga after convicting accused Sumit Shakya of aggravated penetrative sexual assault of a child below 12 years under the POCSO Act and criminal intimidation. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.

Addressing the child as beta, Judge Ranga turned from the sentence to her future, according to LiveLaw.

“This court cannot give you back your childhood. But this court can promise you that your words have been heard. Now beta, live your life, go to school, make friends, laugh, play, dream. This court will always remember your courage,” she said.

The judge acknowledged her plea that the accused should remain behind bars until he grows old. “This court heard you. When you said, ‘Jab tak uncle buddhe na ho jaaye, tab tak unhe jail mein hi rakha jaaye.’ (Till this uncle grows old, keep him in jail) And this court has answered your plea,” the judge wrote.

“Today, this court has ordered that the man you called uncle will never walk free again. He will live in a cage for the rest of his life. He will grow old in that cage, he will die in that cage,” she added.HC TO ENSURE MESSAGE REACHES POCSO SURVIVOR

A division bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt directed the DLSA to print the trial judge's message and hand it over to the survivor or her family, along with the Rs 10.50 lakh compensation, LiveLaw reported.

The direction came while the High Court was hearing an appeal filed by Shakya in the POCSO case registered at Budh Vihar police station in Delhi.

The DLSA has been given two weeks to comply and file a status report on the compensation, according LiveLaw.ACCUSED'S APPEAL DECLINED

The Delhi High Court admitted Shakya's appeal but declined, at this stage, to suspend his life sentence, after considering the evidence on record, including forensic evidence.

The court also directed that notice of the appeal be served on the survivor through the investigating officer.

The matter will next come up on November 4 for the DLSA's status report, while the appeal is listed for January 20, 2027, LiveLaw reported.- Ends