Last Updated on February 20, 2026 8:22 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Inder Vashisth
The Court of the Special Judge, POCSO Cases, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, today, i.e., on 20.02.2026, has sentenced two accused namely, Rambhawan and his wife Durgawati to Death for the various offences under Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act including Unnatural Offences, Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Offences, Using Child for Pornographic Purposes, Storage of Pornographic Material involving Children, Abetment and Criminal Conspiracy.
The Ld. Trial Court also ordered for award of compensation of Rs. 10 Lakh to each victim by the Government. The Court further ordered to distribute the cash amount seized from the house of the accused persons among the victims in equal proportion.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case on 31.10.2020 against accused Rambhawan and other unknown persons on allegations of sexual abuse of children; using children for pornographic purposes; and creation and dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material over Internet.
During the investigation of the case, it surfaced that the accused persons had committed various nature of perversity including aggravated penetrative sexual assaults against 33 male children, some of them as young as three years of age. Investigation also revealed that some of the victims had suffered injuries on their private parts during penetrative sexual assault. Some of them have remained admitted in the hospital. Few of the victims developed Squint Eye. Victims are still suffering from psychological trauma caused by the predators. The predators remained active in the general area of Banda and Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh between Year 2010 to 2020. The accused Rambhawan was working as Junior Engineer in the Department of Irrigation. The accused used to apply different forms of modus operandi on children including access to online video-games and giving money/gifts to allure them.
CBI conducted a meticulous and thorough investigation in the case. The investigation remained sensitive towards the minor victims while conducting their examinations and ensured their emotional well-being through counselling. During the investigation, seamless coordination was ensured with forensic experts, medical experts dealing with child sexual abuse cases and child protection authorities. Investigation also ensured handling and preservation of digital evidence.
After conclusion of the investigation, CBI filed chargesheet on 10.02.2021 against the accused Rambhawan and his wife Durgawati. Charges were framed on 26.05.2023.
While awarding the severest punishment, the Ld. Court found the criminal acts of accused as “rarest of rare” on the basis of unparalleled depravity and systemic nature of their crimes, which involved the orchestrated sexual exploitation and abuse of 33 minor children. The sheer scale of this victimization across multiple districts, combined with the extreme moral turpitude of the convicts, marks this as a crime of such an exceptional and heinous nature that it leaves no room for reformation, necessitating the ultimate judicial deterrent to meet the ends of justice.
The CBI remains steadfast in its commitment to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting cases involving child sexual abuse and exploitation. The Bureau continues to accord top priority to such offences and reaffirms its resolve to safeguard the rights and dignity of children.