The Thane Special Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Court has convicted a man for 20 years of rigorous imprisonment with ₹10,000 as fine for sexually assaulting his 10-year-old niece who stayed with him to complete her education in 2017.
The incident was registered in Navi Mumbai’s Nerul police station. The girl, whose mother lives in a village, was to her aunt’s home for studies. The accused, who is 61 years old, is her uncle.
According to Nerul police, the accused was living in Nerul with his wife and the survivor went to stay there for some months in 2017. The girl would sleep on the bed while the couple used to sleep on the floor. The girl, in her statement, had alleged that many a time, he would get into her bed and touch her inappropriately. He assaulted her sexually several times and threatened her not to tell anyone.
Later, the girl insisted on going back to her mother’s place. She reached home in November 2018 for Diwali and cried before her mother. She then narrated her ordeal after which a case was registered in Nerul police station. The police arrested the accused immediately. Investigating officer, Priyanka Gore, filed a charge sheet in 2019.
Sanjay More, assistant public prosecutor in the case, said, “The list of evidence, seven witnesses, statement of the victim and medical reports in the case were put forward efficiently in the court. On Friday, in Thane POCSO special court of Judge Smt. KD Shirbhate, she awarded him 20 years of rigorous imprisonment with ₹10,000 fine under Section 6 of POCSO Act.”