Who is drawf comedian Darshan? Haryana-based YouTuber gets 20 years in prison for raping minor

Renowned dwarf comedian Darshan, who belongs to Haryana, was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl, News18 reported on Tuesday.

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) Sunil Jindal in Hisar delivered the verdict on Monday.

Earlier on March 11, Darshan was found guilty and has remained in police custody since.

The bench sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh under the POCSO Act, three years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹5,000 under Section 363, one-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 under Section 343, and two years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 under Section 506.

About the case:

In September 2020, the mother of a minor girl from a village in the Agroha region lodged a police report against Darshan.

In this case, the victim's mother accused Darshan, known for his comedic videos on YouTube, of luring the girl with the promise of featuring her in one of his productions, News18 reported.

According to the victim's attorney, Rekha Mittal, Darshan contacted the minor on September 21, 2020 and asked her to come for a video shoot.

Following the shoot, Darshan asked the minor to go to Chandigarh. On being refused, Darshan allegedly threatened her, which frightened the girl. Then Darshan took her to Chandigarh on his bike, along with his brother, where he raped her in a hotel room.

Not only this, Darshan even falsified documents to portray her as an adult and forced her into marriage with the help of an organisation. Later, a petition for protection was also filed in the High Court.

When the minor girl returned home, she recounted the ordeal to her mother, prompting Darshan’s arrest.

The court ordered Darshan to pay the victim ₹2,00,000 in compensation in addition to the prison sentence and fine.