In one of the most disturbing child exploitation cases uncovered in recent years, a special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has sentenced a husband and wife to death for the aggravated sexual abuse of 33 minor boys.
The court described the crimes as falling within the “rarest of rare” category, citing their scale, cruelty and long-term impact on the victims.
The Special POCSO Court in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday awarded capital punishment to Rambhawan and his wife Durgawati.
The court found the couple guilty of multiple offences under the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act, including aggravated penetrative sexual assault, using children for pornography, storage of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), criminal conspiracy, and online dissemination of abuse content.
While pronouncing the sentence, the trial judge said the “sheer scale of this victimisation across multiple districts, combined with the extreme moral turpitude of the convicts,” made it a crime so exceptional and heinous that it left no room for reformation, necessitating the harshest punishment to serve as a deterrent.
In a Landmark Verdict POCSO Court Sentences Two Child Predators to Death for Heinous Abuse of 33 Minor Children pic.twitter.com/4vF2Q1Sk74
— Central Bureau of Investigation (India) (@CBIHeadquarters) February 20, 2026
India permits the death penalty in the “rarest of rare” cases. In recent years, the law has been amended to allow capital punishment in certain cases of aggravated sexual assault of minors under the POCSO Act.
Abuse spans decade across two districts
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the abuse took place between 2010 and 2020 in Banda and the neighbouring Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region.
Investigators found that the couple subjected at least 33 male children, aged between three and 18, to various forms of sexual abuse. Some victims were as young as three years old.
The CBI probe revealed that Rambhawan, a junior engineer in the state irrigation department, had allegedly been abusing minors and filming the acts for 10 to 12 years.
Government advocate Saurabh Kumar Singh stated that the accused, while living in a rented room in Chitrakoot, recorded videos of the exploitation and sent them to clients in 47 countries. The investigation found that the couple had created approximately 200,000 such videos, some of which were circulated on the dark web.
Children lured with money, online games
The CBI said Rambhawan and Durgawati used access to online video games, money and gifts to lure children. Once trust was gained, the minors were subjected to repeated abuse.
The court noted that the offences were not isolated incidents but part of a systematic pattern of exploitation carried out over many years.
Investigators described the case as one of the most extensive child sexual abuse rackets uncovered in India in recent times, with some drawing comparisons to international child exploitation scandals.
Severe physical, psychological harm
Several victims suffered physical injuries to their private parts during penetrative assaults, with some requiring hospitalisation. A few children reportedly developed squint eye conditions after being forced to remain in uncomfortable positions.
Some victims remain under medical treatment, while many continue to struggle with deep psychological trauma caused by the abuse.
The CBI said it handled the investigation sensitively, ensuring that the children were examined in a careful manner and provided counselling support throughout the process. The agency coordinated with forensic experts, medical professionals dealing with child sexual abuse cases, and child protection authorities, while also preserving digital evidence.
The CBI registered the case on October 31, 2020, following allegations of sexual abuse, exploitation for pornographic purposes and dissemination of child sexual abuse material online.
After concluding its investigation, the agency filed a chargesheet on February 10, 2021. Charges were formally framed by the trial court on May 26, 2023.
During the trial, statements of the victim children were recorded, alongside digital and forensic evidence presented before the court.
Compensation for victims
Along with the death sentence, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to award compensation of one million Indian rupees to each of the 33 victims. The court also ordered that 800,000 INR in cash seized from the convicts’ home be distributed equally among the victims.
The compensation aims to support the long-term medical, psychological and social rehabilitation of the children.
CBI reaffirms commitment
The CBI said it remains committed to investigating and prosecuting cases involving child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Describing the investigation as “meticulous and thorough,” the agency said it ensured seamless coordination with experts and prioritised the emotional well-being of the minor victims throughout the legal process.
