Mumbai, August
16: On Wednesday, a 38-year-old man has been convicted and sentenced to 10
years imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rupees One lakh, by a special court for repeatedly raping
a 14-year-old minor girl in Mumbai.
The accused and
the victim were neighbours and these horrific incidents took place in 2019.
Special Public Prosecutor,
V D More, said that in April 2019, the tuition teacher of the victim noticed
that her grades were deteriorating and she started being quiet most of the
time. When she asked the girl, the minor started crying and confided that her
neighbour used to sexually assault her repeatedly. She also added that she hasn’t
told this incident to anyone as the accused threatened to kill her and her
family members – including her elder sister and mother.
Based on what was
revealed to her, the teacher reported the predicament to the victim’s mother. Her
mother then filed a complaint against the accused with the help of a social
worker.
The accused, a businessman by profession, on one occasion, had even forcefully taken the girl to
his house and raped her there when she had returned alone to her house to collect
her pouch added V D More.
The victim’s friend had also seen her being harassed by the accused. The verdict comes after
the court relied on the testimonies of the victim, her friend and her tuition
teacher.
The court found
the accused guilty on charges including rape and under the Protection of
Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.