Punishment for abetment
Full Text
Whoever abets any offence under this Act, if the act abetted is committed in consequence of the abetment, shall be punished with punishment provided for that offence.
Explanation.—An act or offence is said to be committed in consequence of abetment, when it is committed in consequence of the instigation, or in pursuance of the conspiracy or with the aid, which constitutes the abetment.
Plain English Summary
Mandates that whoever abets any offence under the POCSO Act shall receive the same punishment prescribed for the actual offence committed in consequence of such abetment.
Key Legal Elements
- Abetment of any POCSO offence as defined in Section 16
- Actual commission of the abetted offence as a consequence of the abetment
- Equal penal liability as the principal offender
Punishment
Same punishment as provided for the substantive offence abetted
Practical Note
If the principal offence was Section 6 (Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault), an abettor under Section 17 faces minimum 20 years up to life/death. The evidentiary standard requires establishing an active nexus between abetment and commission.
हिंदी पाठ
जो कोई इस अधिनियम के अधीन किसी अपराध का दुष्प्रेरण करेगा, यदि दुष्प्रेरित कार्य दुष्प्रेरण के परिणामस्वरूप किया जाता है, तो वह उस अपराध के लिए उपबंधित दंड से दंडित किया जाएगा।
स्पष्टीकरण.—कोई कार्य या अपराध दुष्प्रेरण के परिणामस्वरूप किया गया तब कहा जाता है, जब वह उस उकसाहट के परिणामस्वरूप अथवा उस षड्यंत्र के अनुसरण में या उस सहायता से किया जाता है जिससे दुष्प्रेरण गठित होता है।