Banda, February 20: A special POCSO court in Banda has awarded the death penalty to a suspended government engineer and his wife for the systematic s*xual exploitation of dozens of children and the global distribution of the abuse material. Special Judge Pradip Kumar Mishra delivered the verdict, characterising the crimes as "rarest of rare" due to the extreme nature of the exploitation. The convicts, Rambhawan, a former Junior Engineer in the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, and his wife, Durgavati, were found guilty of exploiting over 50 minor victims over a decade-long period across the districts of Banda, Hamirpur, and Chitrakoot.

The pair not only abused and exploited children, but they also sold their nude photos and s*x videos on the dark web in exchange for money. Shivam Sahu 13 Minute 14 Second Viral Video: Wanting To Become Po*n Star, Rewa Man Uploads Wife’s Obscene Clip on Adult Website; Arrested.

UP Court Sentences Former Engineer and Wife to Death in Landmark POCSO Case

The sentencing follows a conviction on February 18, where the court found the couple guilty under the Protection of Children from S*xual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act. The court noted that the pair not only orchestrated the abuse but also leveraged the dark web to monetise the acts for profit. Judge Mishra highlighted the gravity of the crimes, noting that the victims, aged between 5 and 16, were often lured with promises of money or gifts and later threatened into silence to prevent the crimes from being reported. Delhi High Court Says Penetrative Sexual Assault Under POCSO Act Can Be Invoked Against Women Too.

The investigation, led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), revealed a sophisticated operation that reached far beyond India's borders. Arrested in October 2020 following an extensive surveillance mission, Rambhawan was found to be in contact with international pedophile networks. The CBI's chargesheet, filed in 2021, stated that the engineer sold child s*xual abuse material in over 45 countries through dark web platforms and cloud-based services. Durgavati was arrested a month after her husband for her role in intimidating witnesses and aiding the illicit activities.

Authorities seized significant evidence from the couple's residence during the initial raid, including multiple mobile phones, s*x toys, laptops, and high-capacity recording equipment used to document the abuse. The CBI also recovered pen drives and approximately INR 8 lakhs in cash. In addition to the death penalty, the court has ordered that the seized cash be distributed among the victims and directed the state government to provide additional compensation to those affected by the couple’s decade of criminal activity.

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TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (X Account of Journalist Sachin Gupta), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2026 09:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).