PANKAJ SHARMA S/O SHRI RAMRAJ SHARMA Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Though this criminal appeal has been listed for hearing on I.A. No. 03/2026, which is an application for grant of temporary bail on the ground that the appellant's 8-year-old daughter, namely Sakshi Sharma, is suffering from typhoid fever, severe anemia (+++), a fatty liver, and symptoms such as fever and vomiting, this Court, considering the fact that the appellant has been in jail since 8/4/2025 and also taking into account the medical grounds, proceeds to hear the appeal finally.

(2.) The criminal appeal arises out of the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dtd. 8/4/2025 passed by the Special Judge under SC and ST (P.A.) Act, Raipur, District Raipur in Special Criminal Case No.08/2024, whereby the appellant has been convicted and sentenced in the following manner :

(3.) The prosecution story, in brief, is that on 28/8/2023, the victim (PW-10) submitted a written complaint to the police station Azad Chowk, Raipur, stating that she is a resident of Mandakala, Police Station Hasaud, District Janjgir. In 2014, while on duty at the hospital, Bilaspur, for her B.Sc. Nursing degree, she met the present appellant, a resident of Raipur and studying engineering. A year after her acquaintance with the accused / appellant, in 2015, the appellant told her that he loved her and wanted to marry her and make her his wife. The victim replied that she belonged to the Satnami caste, to which the accused / appellant replied that it did not matter to him. From then on, the victim and the accused continued to meet and visit each other. For the first time, the accused / appellant took her to his rented house in Brahmanpara, Raipur, and had sexual intercourse with her, promising to marry her and keep her as his wife. After this, the accused / appellant repeatedly visited the victim's residences, took her to various hotels, and had physical relations with her and physically exploited her. Whenever the victim spoke to the accused / appellant about marriage, he would deceive her and promise to marry her, thus convincing her.