Bahraich Serial Rapist Avinash Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in Fourth Case; Earlier Three Cases Also Resulted in Life Terms

Bahraich: In a significant verdict, the Bahraich court has awarded life imprisonment to serial rapist Avinash Pandey, also known as “Simple,” in his fourth case involving the sexual assault of a five-year-old girl. The court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge and Special POCSO Judge Arvind Kumar Gautam, also imposed a fine of ₹2.4 lakh on the accused.

This is the fourth case in which Avinash Pandey has been sentenced to life imprisonment. In one of the previous cases, the court directed that he remain behind bars for the rest of his life. In total, he has been fined ₹7.8 lakh across all four cases.

Swift Justice in a Heinous Crime
The latest crime occurred on the night of 2 July 2025, around 3 AM, when the five-year-old girl, belonging to a Dalit family, was asleep in her courtyard near her mother. Avinash abducted the child and committed the heinous act. The girl went missing, and her family searched frantically before filing an FIR at Sujoli Police Station on 3 July. The police recovered the child on the same day.

During the court proceedings, the prosecution presented strong evidence, including the accused’s confession and obscene photos and videos of the victims recovered from his mobile phone. Avinash was convicted under the POCSO Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Identification and Arrest
The arrest of the serial offender was made possible due to the prompt action and intelligence of then Station Officer Harshita Tripathi. The accused was identified through sketches based on descriptions given by the children. Upon interrogation, he admitted to his crimes.

Earlier Convictions
Prior to this case, Avinash Pandey had been convicted in three other cases this year:

• 24 September 2025: Life imprisonment awarded after 20 working days of hearing.
• 29 September 2025: Life imprisonment awarded after 22 working days of hearing.
• 8 October 2025: Life imprisonment awarded after 26 working days of hearing.

A Disturbing Pattern
Within just one month, Avinash Pandey had targeted four minor girls aged between 5 and 8 years in the Sujoli area, creating fear and panic throughout the community. He would abduct the girls on a bicycle and record videos after assaulting them.

In response to the severity of the crimes, the Superintendent of Police formed five special teams, including SWAT and surveillance units, under the leadership of Circle Officer Mihipurwa Harshita Tiwari. Sensitive interviews with the victims helped establish consistent descriptions of the offender.

Avinash Pandey has now become the first serial child rapist in Bahraich to receive life imprisonment in four separate cases, with the court ordering him to spend at least two of those terms until his last breath.