Man who raped minor for over 2 years, awarded 10-year jail term

MUMBAI: A special court on Tuesday sentenced a 41-year-old Jogeshwari resident to 10 years of imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old boy in his neighbourhood for over two years

MUMBAI: A special court on Tuesday sentenced a 41-year-old Jogeshwari resident to 10 years of imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old boy in his neighbourhood for over two years. The child used to deliver clothes to the accused, a washerman by profession. A complaint was filed by the child’s father in 2017.

Man who raped minor for over 2 years, awarded 10-year jail term

The incident came to light in December 2016, when the child began to show signs of stress and neglected his studies. On January 8, 2017, the boy was sent to deliver clothes at the accused’s place. After returning home that night, he refused to eat or talk. Two days later, he was reportedly caught by his sister while he was to drink phenyl in their kitchen at night. He was taken to the Trauma Care Hospital for treatment when the Dilasa project counselors talked with him. During this interaction, he disclosed to being sexual assaulted by the washerman. On January 13, 2017, based on his father’s complaint, a case was registered against the washerman at Meghwadi police station.

The boy said the abuse began in August 2015, when he was in the ninth standard. The accused allegedly lured him into his room under the pretext of having a casual conversation and would show him videos of pornography. As per the prosecution, the man sexually assaulted the boy on multiple occasions, whenever the child visited him with laundry. The boy allegedly attempted to die by suicide due to the trauma caused by the assault.

The defence maintained that the man was falsely implicated over the child’s father’s non-payment of laundry bills. They argued that the prosecution did not examine the mother, sister, and friend of the victim, despite having their statements recorded in the chargesheet. The lawyer further contended no independent witness has come forward, even though the incident allegedly took place in a crowded slum.

“Despite rigorous cross-examination, the victim has stood firm on his version of events. The defence has failed to bring out any major inconsistencies that would shake his credibility”, the court said.

The court added that the defence did not examine any witness or produce any material to show false implication.

“Non-examinations of victim’s mother, sister, and his friend, despite their statements being recorded in the charge sheet does not make difference. A number of witnesses is not required. No prejudice is shown by not recording statements of the victim’s friends, school authorities, or psychologist,” said special sessions judge DG Dhoble.

Based on consistent and credible testimony by the child, which is corroborated with medical evidence and legal presumption under Sections 29 and 30 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act, the prosecution has proved that the accused had committed unnatural sexual acts, criminal intimidation, penetrative sexual assault, aggravated penetrative sexual assault, and sexual harassment by showing pornography.

The court directed the legal service authority of Mumbai was directed to determine the compensation which is to be paid to the victim.