Mumbai: A special court designated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) on Thursday sentenced a man in his early 30’s to 20-years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing and assaulting a five-year-old child - his daughter’s friend, in 2020.
The child was in kindergarten when the unfortunate incidents took place in a duration of 15 days in August 2020 when she would go to play at her friend’s home that was opposite hers. She was in Class 1 when she testified about the incident in court. Prosecutors VD More and Sureeta Singh said that medical evidence showing injury to the child’s private part, was also produced in evidence.
Fine along with imprisonment
The child had told her mother after the first incident when the man had kissed her, touched her inappropriately and told her not to speak about it to anyone. The mother had approached the accused’s mother and she had assured that she would speak with him about it. After a few days, the child complained to her uncle about a more serious form of sexual assault he had committed on her. The child had told her uncle that the man had pressed his hand on her mouth when he did it. The uncle too complained to the man’s mother and then the family approached the police.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 17,000 on the man. It also directed that the child be awarded compensation by the District Legal Services Authority.
