Delhi High Court Upholds Life Sentence in POCSO Case, Orders Judge’s Personal Letter to Minor Survivor

Yugcharan News / 29-09-2026

The Delhi High Court has upheld the conviction and life imprisonment of a man convicted in a case involving the sexual assault of a minor, while directing authorities to ensure that a personal message written by the trial judge is delivered to the child survivor and her family. The message was written by Rohini Court judge Rajni Ranga after the girl told the court that the accused, whom she called “uncle”, should remain in jail until he grew old.

The case was heard under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Delhi High Court’s order has brought attention not only to the legal outcome of the case but also to the unusual step taken by the trial court judge to communicate directly with the child in language intended to be understandable and reassuring.

According to the High Court record as reported by NDTV, the incident took place on July 23, 2023, when the girl was seven years old. She is now 10. The accused, identified as Sumit Shakya, challenged the trial court’s conviction and sentence before the Delhi High Court.

Trial Court Awarded Life Imprisonment

The trial court convicted Shakya of aggravated sexual assault against a child below 12 years of age under the POCSO Act and also convicted him of criminal intimidation.

The court sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life for the aggravated sexual assault and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. He was also sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000 for criminal intimidation. The two sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The trial court also fixed compensation of Rs 10.50 lakh for the child. The compensation was assessed after considering the circumstances of the offence, the suffering of the child and her family, and the longer-term impact of the crime, according to the court record as reported by NDTV.

The accused subsequently approached the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court's decision.

The High Court did not grant immediate relief on the request to suspend the sentence and release the convict on bail. The bench said it was not inclined to suspend the sentence at that stage after considering the evidence, including forensic evidence, cited in the case.

Judge Writes Directly to the Child

At the end of the trial court judgment, Additional Sessions Judge-01 (POCSO) Rajni Ranga wrote a personal message addressed directly to the child.

The judge departed from conventional legal language and acknowledged the child’s request that the man she called “uncle” should remain in prison until he became old.

In the message, the judge told the child that the court had heard her plea and that the sentence meant the convicted man would remain imprisoned for the rest of his natural life. The judge also reassured her that he would not be able to harm her, her younger sister or other children.

The message praised the child for appearing before the court, identifying the person who had harmed her and speaking about what had happened. The judge also referred to the fact that the girl had told her mother about the incident rather than remaining silent.

The note was written in simple language rather than in the formal terminology normally used in judicial orders. The purpose was to communicate the outcome to the child in a manner that she could understand.

“Your Plea Has Been Granted”

The judge’s message also acknowledged that a court cannot restore the childhood that the girl lost because of the incident.

However, the judge told the child that the court could assure her that her words had been heard and that her request had been addressed through the sentence imposed on the accused.

The message encouraged the girl to return her attention to ordinary aspects of childhood, including school, friendships, play and dreams. The judge also told her that the court would remember her courage.

The Delhi High Court later described the trial judge’s note as a “message of courage” and directed that it should reach the child.

High Court Orders Letter to Be Delivered

The Delhi High Court has directed the North-West Delhi District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to print the trial judge’s message and deliver it to the girl or her family.

The direction was issued by a bench comprising Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt in an order dated September 22, 2026. The court directed that the message should reach the child within two weeks.

The High Court also directed that the compensation amount of Rs 10.50 lakh should be delivered to the child and sought a status report from the DLSA regarding the payment.

The status of the compensation is scheduled to be considered on November 4, 2026. The criminal appeal itself has been listed again for January 20, 2027.

Court Declines Immediate Suspension of Sentence

While considering the convict’s appeal, the High Court was also asked to suspend the sentence and grant relief pending the appeal.

The bench declined to grant immediate suspension of the sentence. The court noted the evidence available in the case, including forensic evidence, and said it was not inclined to suspend the sentence at that stage.

The decision means that the life sentence imposed by the trial court remains operative while the appeal proceedings continue.

Focus on the Child’s Recovery

The proceedings have also highlighted the importance of communicating judicial outcomes to child survivors in a way they can understand.

In this case, the trial judge’s letter was not merely a repetition of the formal sentence. It directly addressed the child’s concern about whether the person who had harmed her would be able to return and hurt her or another child.

The High Court’s direction to provide the letter to the child ensures that the message recorded in the judicial order reaches the person to whom it was addressed.

The case also illustrates the various forms of relief considered by courts in POCSO proceedings. Alongside the criminal conviction and sentence, the trial court had ordered monetary compensation for the child, while the High Court has monitored the implementation of that direction through the DLSA.

The identity of the child has not been disclosed in accordance with legal protections applicable to minors involved in sexual offence cases.

With the conviction and sentence continuing to operate and the appeal remaining pending, the Delhi High Court is expected to consider the matter again in January 2027. Meanwhile, the North-West Delhi DLSA has been directed to take steps to deliver the judge’s message and compensation to the child or her family.