In a landmark ruling, a special court in Thane, Maharashtra, has sentenced a 38-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the aggravated sexual assault of a six-year-old girl. Special Judge D.S. Deshmukh delivered the verdict, convicting the accused, a resident of Bhayandar, under stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court found the accused guilty under IPC sections 376 (Rape) and 376(AB) (rape on a woman under twelve years of age), emphasizing the seriousness of the offense. The case, which dates back to February 11, 2021, unfolded when the victim’s mother returned from work to find her daughter missing. It was later discovered that the accused, their neighbor, had lured the child to his house under the pretext of buying her a snack.
The victim was found at the accused’s residence with two ₹10 notes in her hand. She disclosed to her mother that the accused had removed her pants and touched her inappropriately, leading to the immediate lodging of a complaint and the subsequent arrest of the perpetrator the following day.
Public prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale presented the case, underlining the traumatic impact on the young victim and advocating for strict punishment to deter similar offenses in the future. Despite the defense’s plea for leniency based on the accused’s role as the primary breadwinner for his dependent family, which includes elderly parents, a wife, and children, the court upheld the mandatory provisions of the POCSO Act.
In addition to the prison term, the judge imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on the accused, with a default sentence of three additional months of simple imprisonment should the fine not be paid. The court also ordered that the time the accused has already spent in jail be considered part of the sentence.
