Mumbai: A special court designated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Monday sentenced a 35-year-old man to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs3,000 for hugging and kissing his 16-year-old neighbour after entering her home when she was alone on Nov 14, 2014.
The court noted while deciding the quantum of sentence that the victim was a child below 16 years. “The accused is not a stranger but her neighbour. Sexual activities with a young girl of immature age have a traumatic effect, which persists throughout life,” said special POCSO judge SC Jadhav in the judgment.
Man had sought leniency citing he is disabled
Prosecutor Veena Shelar had sought maximum punishment for the accused and submitted that he was her neighbour and that it is a serious offence. The man had sought leniency and told that he is disabled and that his father is no more and his mother lives alone.
Appearing before the court to testify, the victim said that she was alone at home as her mother and brother had left for work. She said she was watching television when her neighbour came and asked her for some information on the set top box, claiming that the cable operator had sent him for the same.
He then told her he wanted to speak with her and that she must sit. He said he had heard some rumours about her and suddenly kissed her on her cheek. He left immediately as his mother called out to him. In another 45 minutes he was back and again asked her to sit down.
This time, he said that ‘rather than getting molested by an outsider, it is better to be molested by an insider’. This time he hugged and kissed her on her lips. He then said he had done the act out of love as a brother and threatened to kill her if she told her parents. The girl told her brother on the phone and a police complaint was lodged.
