Delhi Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment for Brutal Attack on 7-Year-Old Child
New Delhi — A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and attempted murder of a seven-year-old boy, calling the crime an act of “barbaric mentality” and “heinous beyond words.”
In a judgment delivered on June 4, Additional Sessions Judge Amit Sahrawat rejected any plea for leniency in sentencing Mohammed Moi alias Mohit, convicted under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 364 (kidnapping to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
The court said the “aggravating factors” in the case included not just the age of the victim but the sheer brutality of the crime. “The convict inflicted multiple stone blows to the child’s head and slashed his face, arms, legs, and shoulders with a blade before leaving him in a pool of blood,” the court observed.
The incident dates back to 2017 when the child, aged between five and seven at the time, was kidnapped and subjected to a near-fatal assault. The case shocked the city for its savagery and the tender age of the victim.
‘Barbaric Mentality’ and Lasting Trauma
Expressing deep anguish over the crime, Judge Sahrawat noted that the convict, despite being a father of three children himself, “attempted to murder another child in a brutal manner that defies comprehension.”
“The method and cruelty with which the child was attacked — numerous blade cuts across the body and repeated stone blows to the head — reflect a barbaric and inhumane mindset,” the judge remarked in the sentencing order.
The long-term psychological toll on the victim was also highlighted during the proceedings. When the child was called to court recently for a final compensation hearing — nearly eight years after the assault — he was reportedly still gripped with fear, weeping in court at the sight of the convict.
No Leniency for Poverty or Parenthood
Rejecting arguments made in favour of a lighter sentence, the court ruled that the convict’s poor financial status and responsibilities as a father could not outweigh the gravity of his crime.
“The convict cannot be granted any leniency based on economic hardship or the future of his children. Crimes of this nature must be dealt with an iron hand,” the judge said.
Accordingly, the court handed down a life sentence for both charges — kidnapping with intent to murder and attempt to murder.
Victim to Receive Compensation
The court also directed the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide suitable compensation to the victim, citing ongoing trauma.
The child’s elder brother and grandmother told the court that the boy continues to suffer from emotional distress and lives in constant fear that the convict may return to harm him.
“This is a clear case where compensation is warranted,” Judge Sahrawat ruled, ordering the DLSA to determine and disburse an appropriate amount to aid the child’s recovery.
The judgment stands as a strong message on the need for strict punishment in cases involving extreme violence against minors, with the court underscoring that justice must not only punish but also protect and rehabilitate the victim.
