BAHRAICH, Sept. 25 -- In one of the fastest criminal trials in Bahraich, Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge (POCSO), Deep Kant Mani, on Wednesday, sentenced Avinash Pandey alias Simple, 32, of Sujauli to life imprisonment under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, just 20 working days after his arrest. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh, with an additional 10 months' jail in case of default. Special District Government Counsel (POCSO), Sant Pratap Singh, said cases involving four girls were registered against Pandey, and today's conviction sets a precedent for swift justice in Bahraich for survivors of such heinous crimes. Pandey was also found guilty under Section 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), receiving one year's imprisonment and a Rs 10,000 fine, marking the first time Bahraich has awarded punishment under this provision. The criminal, notoriously known as Simple, faced multiple charges of kidnapping and sexual assault. Police records show four FIRs were registered against him between June 25 and July 7, 2025, after several girls went missing from nearby villages. He was arrested on July 7, 2025, in a joint operation by Sujauli Police, SWAT, and surveillance teams. During interrogation, Pandey confessed to luring minor girls with candies and snacks, taking them to secluded forested areas, and sexually assaulting them. Police recovered objectionable photos and videos of the victims from his mobile phone....