UP court sentences ex-JE, wife to death for abusing 33 children
UP court sentences ex-JE, wife to death for abusing 33 children
A POCSO court in Banda hands death sentences to a former irrigation department junior engineer and his wife for sexually exploiting 33 minors and distributing abuse videos globally.
In Banda, a special POCSO court delivered a landmark verdict on February 20, 2026, sentencing a former junior engineer from the Irrigation Department and his wife to death for sexually exploiting 33 minor boys over a decade. The court described the crimes as the rarest of rare and noted the defendants’ systematic abuse spanning 2010 to 2020. The shocking case also revealed that the couple circulated more than two lakh objectionable videos and photographs of the victims to nearly 47 countries via the internet.
The convicts, Ram Bhawan and his wife, Durgawati, were found guilty under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (POCSO) Pradeep Kumar Mishra. The verdict includes charges of aggravated penetrative sexual assault, using a child for pornographic purposes, storage of child pornography, abetment, and criminal conspiracy, according to details presented by the Special Public Prosecutor Saurabh Singh.
In a strong stance against sexual exploitation, the court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹10 lakh in compensation to each of the 33 victims. The judgment also directed that the cash seized from the accused’s residence be distributed among the victims in equal proportion, as stated by the CBI.
During the probe, it emerged that Ram Bhawan, a resident of Naraini in Banda district, had been living in a rented room in Chitrakoot district where the offences were committed, with his wife allegedly assisting him. Prosecutors said the couple lured minors with gifts and games over several years, subjecting them to physical and mental abuse. The objectified material was reportedly used for blackmail and further criminal activity, underscoring the scale of the abuse and the audacity of the criminals involved.
This verdict marks a significant moment for the victims and for justice in cases of child exploitation. It signals a firm resolve to hold perpetrators accountable and to ensure victims receive due compensation and recognition for their suffering.
