Thane: Special POCSO Court Convicts Dog Trainer For Online Sexual Harassment Of Minor, Sentences Him To 5 Years Jail

Thane, May 6: A Special Court under the POCSO Act in Thane has convicted a 21-year-old man, a dog trainer, Prathamesh Jadhav, for sexually harassing and blackmailing a 14-year-old girl through social media, sentencing him to a maximum of five years’ rigorous imprisonment.

The victim in the case was so harassed by the accused for sending inappropriate photos that she attempted suicide by consuming excess cough medicines, Meftal and Chericof.

Court awards rigorous imprisonment and compensation

The court awarded five years’ rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 2 lakh fine under the IT Act, along with three years’ imprisonment each under IPC Sections 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation), with the sentences to run concurrently.

Further, the court, in its order, stated that the fine amount is to be paid to the victim as compensation. The court also recommended additional compensation under the Manodhairya Scheme.

Court makes strong observations on misuse of technology

The court made strong observations while passing the order. It maintained: “The victim’s life was saved at the relevant time; however, the threat perpetrated for a very long period left lifelong scars on the mind of the adolescent victim. Not only the victim but her entire family has suffered tremendous trauma of a lifetime, which cannot be taken casually. The act committed by the accused is therefore required to be viewed and dealt with a heavy hand to spread a proper message to like-minded persons in society. .. Nowadays, every person uses mobile technology as well as social networking platforms. However, such misuse of technology, when proved, is required to be checked by imposing stringent punishment. Hence, this case calls for a strict view and severe punishment by weighing all the pros and cons, including the young age of the accused and his family background.”

“Though young and educated, the accused misused technology by impersonating a woman to befriend and relentlessly stalk the minor, exploiting her vulnerability for his own desires. The sustained threats drove the victim to attempt suicide and left lasting trauma on her and her family. Such misuse of technology warrants strict punishment to send a strong message to society.”

Fake social media identity used to target victim

The court, presided over by Special Judge Ruby U. Malvankar, found the accused, Prathamesh Pravin Jadhav, guilty under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology Act.

According to the prosecution, the accused created a fake identity as “Mansi Patil” on Snapchat and befriended the minor in March 2024. He later began coercing her into sending inappropriate photographs and videos, threatening to morph her images and circulate them online if she refused.

The harassment escalated over WhatsApp, where the accused repeatedly intimidated the victim and demanded explicit content. The court noted that despite the victim blocking him, he continued contacting her and pressuring her to comply with his demands.

Victim attempted suicide due to sustained threats

The prosecution told the court that the victim, unable to cope with the sustained threats, consumed medication and wrote a suicide note out of fear that her morphed images would be circulated.

The judge observed that the accused’s actions caused severe psychological trauma not only to the victim but also to her family, leaving “life-long scars” on the adolescent.

Digital evidence played key role in conviction

The court relied on WhatsApp chat screenshots, witness testimonies, and forensic analysis of mobile phones to establish the accused’s involvement. Telecom records confirmed that the mobile number used to harass the victim was registered in the accused’s name.

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Though explicit images were not recovered from the accused’s device, the court held that the chat records sufficiently proved that he had coerced the victim into sending such material.

Emphasising the misuse of technology, the court said such offences must be dealt with strictly to send a strong message to society.

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