Bilaspur : The High Court of Chhattisgarh has upheld the life imprisonment of a Raipur man for the repeated sexual assault of a minor, a case solidified by DNA evidence that proved he was the biological father of the victim’s child. The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, dismissed the appeal of Santosh Kumar Sahu, ruling that the prosecution had established his guilt beyond any reasonable doubt.
The case originated in September 2020 when a 14-year-old girl filed a complaint at the Pandri Police Station. She alleged that Sahu, a neighbor who had previously lived near her family as a tenant, forcibly assaulted her in January 2020 after dragging her into a room while she was visiting his home to play with his children. Following the initial assault, the accused allegedly used death threats against the girl and her family to coerce her into silence, continuing the exploitation for several months.
The crimes only came to light when the victim’s mother noticed her daughter’s health issues. A subsequent medical examination revealed that the teenager was approximately 27 weeks pregnant. During the trial, the victim gave birth to a daughter, and a subsequent DNA profile conclusively linked Sahu to the child.
In his appeal, Sahu’s counsel argued that the trial court erred in determining the victim’s age and claimed the testimony was inconsistent. However, the High Court rejected these assertions, pointing to school records and marksheets that confirmed the victim was only 14 years and 3 months old at the time the abuse began. The court emphasized that in cases of sexual violence, the testimony of a victim is paramount and can serve as the sole basis for conviction if it is found to be reliable.
Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha noted that the victim’s account was not only trustworthy but was also backed by “unimpeachable” scientific and medical evidence. The court found that the DNA report provided “clinching corroboration” that left no room for the defense’s claims of false implication.
Affirming the 2025 judgment of the Raipur POCSO Court, the High Court ordered Sahu to serve out his natural life in prison. The bench underscored that the legislative intent of the POCSO Act is to provide the widest possible protection to children from exploitation, and in this instance, the justice system successfully met that mandate.
Case Title : Santosh Kumar Sahu vs State of Chhattisgarh