AGRA, Dec. 20 -- An autorickshaw driver accused of raping a college student was sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.1 lakh by a special court in Mathura on Friday. Special judge (EC Act) Pallavi Agarwal convicted the accused, Dinesh Singh, in connection with the incident which took place on September 11. The Mathura police had filed the charge sheet on October 17. As per reports, the 25-year-old victim alighted from a bus at Vrindavan cut in Mathura around 5 am on September 11 and hired an autorickshaw to reach her college. The accused, said to be in mid 30s, allegedly took her along an unusual route despite her objections and drove to a secluded area behind factory premises, where he raped her after threatening her with dire consequences. An FIR was registered at Jamuna Par police station under sections 64(1) (rape), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the accused was arrested the same day. The trial was conducted in the court of the special judge (EC Act) and additional district judge, Mathura. Charges were framed on November 6, and the trial proceeded thereafter. Final arguments were heard on December 15, following which the judgement was delivered on Friday. The counsel for the accused pleaded for leniency, stating that the convict was a married man with a family dependent on him. However, the court noted that he had a criminal past, including a previous FIR registered under sections 323, 504 and 506 at the same police station. In its order, the court held that the act of rape reflects a depraved mindset and insensitivity, amounting to grave disrespect towards women and causing severe physical and mental trauma to the victim. Accordingly, the court sentenced the accused to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.1 lakh. The court also directed that 90% of the fine amount be paid to the victim as compensation....