Doctoral student receives life sentence for sexually abusing several children

The Special Court for exclusive trial of cases under the POCSO Act in Thanjavur has sentenced Victor James Raja, a PhD student from Saliamangam near here, to life imprisonment for sexually abusing children and sharing/exchanging Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on the internet. The case was investigated by the CBI.

According to the CBI, the accused forced boys and girls in his area to perform sexual acts and filmed them. Several depictions of child sexual abuse, including pictures and videos, were found in the Interpol database on child sexual exploitation.

Technical and forensic analysis led to the identity of the accused Victor James Raja, a PhD student. A case was registered against him under the POCSO Act 2012 and the Information Technology Act 2000 on March 7, 2023. He was arrested on March 16, 2023.

It was alleged that Raja sexually exploited boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 18 for about two years.

The CBI filed charges against Raja before the Special Court for Exclusive Trial of Cases under the POCSO Act at Thanjavur on May 13, 2023, for sexual assault, sexual assault with penetration, aggravated sexual assault with penetration, using a child for pornographic purposes and incitement under the POSCO Act; rape of girl below 12 years of age and criminal intimidation and publishing or transmitting material depicting children in sexually explicit acts in electronic form under the Information Technology Act.

During the trial, 34 witnesses were questioned or cross-examined and various documents and objects were presented as evidence.

After hearing the case, the special court sentenced Raja to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 654,000.

According to sources in the agency, surprisingly, none of the families of the minors were aware of the exploitation until the CBI registered the case as the accused had threatened the victims.