Mumbai: Man gets 5 years in jail for sexually abusing minors

A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court has recently convicted a 33-year-old Bhandup resident for sexually abusing minor girls in his neighbourhood, one of whom suffered 75% burn injuries and subsequently died

A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court has recently convicted a 33-year-old Bhandup resident for sexually abusing minor girls in his neighbourhood, one of whom suffered 75% burn injuries and subsequently died. He has been sentenced to five years in prison along with a fine of ₹1.12 lakh, of which, ₹50,000 would go to the family of the victim. He has, however, been acquitted of the charge of rape.

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The court has convicted the man for sexually abusing the victim and other girls by showing them pornographic videos.

The convict allegedly sexually abused minor girls when they visited his house for preparing school projects and showed them pornographic content. The minors alleged that he would sexually abuse them at times.

The incident came out after a girl succumbed to burn injuries. The family subsequently found a suicide note, blaming the accused for her decision to end her life. It was alleged by the prosecution that the girl ended her life after being sexually harassed by the accused.

The incident took place on July 1, 2014, when the victim, who was studying in Class 7, suffered 75% burn injuries. On July 3, 2014, the police registered a case of suicide against the accused and arrested him.

During the trial, which lasted for almost seven years, the prosecution heavily relied on the suicide note and pornographic content recovered from the mobile phone of the accused. The prosecution also examined other girls who were subjected to abuse by the accused.

The girls had deposed before the court that the accused would show them video clips and touch them inappropriately. However, the prosecution could not bring any evidence to show that the minors were sexually assaulted or raped by the accused. The court noted that the prosecution had not examined medical officers and the minors were not sent for medical examination.

Defence lawyer Prakash Salsingikar had alleged that the accused was falsely implicated by the parents of the girl. He also argued that the investigation was faulty and the girl died by accident and not by suicide.

After considering both the side and suicide note, the court observed, “The deposition of child witnesses established that the accused was using his mobile phone to show obscene, pornographic material to the minor girls with sexual intent. He has outraged the modesty by touching their body while showing them video clips.”

The court, however, did not accept the theory of suicide and claimed that the girl died by accident. “There is a possibility that child got burn injuries through a stove as she was not in an attentive state of mind. The child was disturbed due to an obscene video clip. If the child had the intention to attempt suicide, she would have poured kerosene on herself and this is not the case,” the court observed while negating the theory of suicide.