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A special POCSO court in Ballia sentenced a school transport driver to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment on Tuesday for using artificial intelligence to create an obscene image of a Class 8 student and circulating it on WhatsApp. The court of Special Judge Prathmakanth, Court No. 8, held Sanjeet Kumar guilty under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. The judge also imposed a fine on the convict, with default terms of additional imprisonment should he fail to deposit the amount.
Driver Misused Student’s Photograph
The convict, Sanjeet Kumar, is a resident of Devalveer village under the jurisdiction of Bhimpura police station. According to the prosecution, Kumar was employed as the driver of a vehicle contracted by a private school. The minor victim, an eighth-grade student at the institution, regularly used this contracted vehicle for her daily commute between home and school. During this period, the driver acquired a photograph of the student and subjected it to digital manipulation. The prosecution established that Kumar used an artificial intelligence application to generate an obscene picture of the girl. He subsequently uploaded the altered image to messaging platforms and circulated it across WhatsApp groups with his acquaintances.
Investigation and Chargesheet
The illicit circulation came to light after the fabricated material was spotted by family members, prompting immediate legal action. On May 7, 2025, the victim’s father approached the Bhimpura police station and submitted a formal written complaint outlining the digital abuse and distribution of the content. Acting on the complaint, local police registered a First Information Report against Kumar under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and allied criminal statutes. Investigating officers collected digital records, tracked the dissemination of the file across connected devices, and recorded statements. Following the completion of the investigation, the police finalized the findings and submitted a formal chargesheet before the designated POCSO court for trial proceedings.
Swift Conviction Under Operation Conviction
During the trial proceedings, the prosecution presented digital forensic evidence, witness depositions, and relevant case records before the court. Evaluating the evidence on record, Special Judge Prathmakanth found Kumar guilty of aggravated offenses under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. The court sentenced him to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 50,000 for the offense, in addition to related penal assessments totaling Rs 55,000 as detailed in court records. Non-payment of the penalty will result in additional prison time. Authorities confirmed that the speedy trial and conviction were secured under Operation Conviction through the proactive monitoring cell and prosecution wing, functioning under the direct guidance of Ballia Superintendent of Police Dr Iraz Raja.
