2 get 20 years in jail for sexually assaulting neighbour’s 3-year-old daughter in Mumbai

The girl was playing in the common passage in the building in November 2018. The duo reached the spot. They made her to sit on a sofa and sexually assaulted her

The special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocsco) court on Friday sentenced two men, both aged 19, to 20 years’ imprisonment for sexually abusing the three-year-old daughter of their neighbour.

The accused had pleaded that they were falsely implicated in the case because of the disputes in the housing society. However, the court rejected the arguments. (HT FILE)

While one of the accused was convicted for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on the child, his friend was sentenced for abetting the act. Public prosecutor Rashmi Tendulkar argued that both the men had common intention behind the crime.

As per prosecution, the girl was playing in the common passage in the building in November 2018. The duo reached the spot. They made her to sit on a sofa and sexually assaulted her.

As claimed by the prosecution, the main accused’s friend kept a watch to ensure nobody saw them.

A while later, the girl’s mother saw her with the men after seeing them with the men. When she asked the child what were the accused doing with her, the girl narrated the incident to her mother. The mother also noticed injuries on her body.

The accused had pleaded that they were falsely implicated in the case because of the disputes in the society.

However, the court rejected the arguments made by the defence and relied on the statement of the girl, who also identified the accused in the court. The court also relied on medical evidence before sentencing the duo.