New Delhi, July 26  A Delhi court sentenced a man to seven years in jail by for kidnapping and raping the minor sister of his employer.

Additional Sessions Judge T.R. Naval held 24-year-old Shahbuddin guilty of raping the 17-year-old girl in 2010, but took a moderate view towards him in awarding punishment as he has to support his wife and child.

The court said: "In view of the evidence on record, it is held that prosecution had proved that the accused (Shahbuddin) committed sexual intercourse with the girl against her will and without her consent."

"It would be just and appropriate if moderate view in sentence is taken. Accordingly the convict is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of seven years," the court said.

The judge said that a moderate view was taken as Shahbuddin sought leniency on the ground that he has to support his family.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs.17,000 on the convict, a resident of Ghaziabad, and said if the amount is realised, Rs.10,000 be given to the victim as compensation.

Victim's brother had lodged a complaint at Shahdara police station that his sister has been kidnapped by the accused when she, his wife and two children had gone to market to buy vegetables.

As per prosecution, Shahbuddin terrorised the wife and kidnapped the sister, who was studying in class 10 at the time of the incident on May 26, 2010.

Police recovered the girl on May 28, 2010 and the accused surrendered on July 13, 2010.

During the trial, the victim told the court that Shahbuddin, who was known to her, forcibly took her to Pilakwa in Ghaziabad. He confined her in his house and forcibly had physical relations with her, she had sid.

However, Shahbuddin claimed to be innocent. He saidhe was working in the shop of the girl's brother and the girl fell in love with him and used to pressurise him for marriage. 

He also said that the girl's brother was against it and he falsely implicated him in the case.

(IANS)