Pune: Court of Additional Sessions Judge Varsharani Patravale On Friday, a 34-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl on April 3, 2019, and the same sentence extended a year earlier.
According to the case put up by the Additional Public Prosecutor Leena Pathak, the accused and the survivors stayed in the neighboring houses. On returning home from work on the evening of 12 April 2019, the victim’s mother noticed that her daughter was scared. When he asked the girl about it, she told how the uncle of the neighboring house sexually assaulted her on April 3, 2019. He told about a similar act committed by him a year back as well.
The mother lodged a complaint with the police and the accused was arrested and tried for offenses under sections 377 (unnatural offence), 354 (molestation), 354-A (sexual assault), 506 (criminal intimidation). Indian Penal Code and under the respective sections of POCSO Act,
Prosecutor Pathak, who examined five witnesses, told TOI, “The evidence recorded by the survivor proved to be crucial in the case as it was not shaken by the cross-examination of the defense and the court also found it credible. The victim’s mother, the investigating officer and the medical officer were among other prosecution witnesses. The accused had defended that he was at his place of work and not at home at the time of the two incidents, but the court found huge gaps in his wife.
The court found the accused guilty under the provisions of IPC as well as POCSO.
(The identity of the victim is not disclosed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directions on matters related to sexual harassment)
According to the case put up by the Additional Public Prosecutor Leena Pathak, the accused and the survivors stayed in the neighboring houses. On returning home from work on the evening of 12 April 2019, the victim’s mother noticed that her daughter was scared. When he asked the girl about it, she told how the uncle of the neighboring house sexually assaulted her on April 3, 2019. He told about a similar act committed by him a year back as well.
The mother lodged a complaint with the police and the accused was arrested and tried for offenses under sections 377 (unnatural offence), 354 (molestation), 354-A (sexual assault), 506 (criminal intimidation). Indian Penal Code and under the respective sections of POCSO Act,
Prosecutor Pathak, who examined five witnesses, told TOI, “The evidence recorded by the survivor proved to be crucial in the case as it was not shaken by the cross-examination of the defense and the court also found it credible. The victim’s mother, the investigating officer and the medical officer were among other prosecution witnesses. The accused had defended that he was at his place of work and not at home at the time of the two incidents, but the court found huge gaps in his wife.
The court found the accused guilty under the provisions of IPC as well as POCSO.
(The identity of the victim is not disclosed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directions on matters related to sexual harassment)