'Consensual sex with minor is also rape'; Jaipur court sentences national Taekwondo player

The girl submitted during cross-examination that she had consensual relationship with the accused, but the court said in the order that consensual relationship with a minor will also be treated as rape.

Jaipur: A special court in Rajasthan capital, Jaipur, dealing with cases relating to the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 has sentenced a national Taekwondo player for 20 years for allegedly raping a minor girl repeatedly. The court set aside the girl's submission that the intercourse was consensual, saying that consensual relationship with a minor will also be treated as rape.

It is learned that the POCSO court sentenced the player Mohit Dhela and also imposed a fine of Rs 1.05 lakh on the accused. The girl had lodged a report at the Vaishali Nagar police station on July 11, 2020 accusing Dhela of repeatedly raping her from October 19, 2019 to July 11, 2020 and extorting Rs 1.5 lakh by intimidation.

Acting on the report, the police arrested the accused and submitted the charge sheet in the court, which pronounced the judgment on Thursday. During the hearing, the victim said in cross-examination that she had consensual relationship with the accused. However, the court said in the order that the consent of the minor does not hold any importance in the law.