Injecting hormonal drugs to minor to come under POCSO Act?

New Delhi: NP NEWS 24 ONLINE – Administering injections, chemical substances or hormones to a child below the age of 18 to induce maturity and then force the child for sexual activities may soon be considered an offence under Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act 2012 as “aggravated sexual assault” clause below section 9.

According to a report, this is one of the amendments that is part of the proposal of the ministry of women and child development that also seeks to introduce stronger punitive measures in those against those in possession of pornographic material involving children as well as forwarding such content on social media.

The offence will invoke a punishment of not less than five years imprisonment which may extend to seven years and fine.

After the proposal is approved by the law ministry, the amendment will be approved by the Women and Child Development Minister, Menaka Gandhi and later will be sent to the Cabinet.

The proposal also includes amendments to the POCSO Act to extend the Criminal Law which prescribes death penalties to those who convicted for raping girls below the age of the 12 to the male survivor as well.

The amendments to the criminal law in August by the parliament was replaced by the parliament following the outrage over the rape and murder of the minor girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and another woman in Unnao in April.

The government is hoping for an amendment to get cleared in the Parliament winter session.

Interestingly, WCD ministry’s Trafficking of Persons Bill 2018 also includes  “administering injections or hormones for early sexual maturity” in “aggravated forms of trafficking offences” category.

In August, Hyderabad police had busted a sex racket in Telangana where the police rescued 11 girls from brothels they raided in the area and found that the girls were being injected with hormones so that they could mature.