Mumbai: A special POCSO court on Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping and impregnating a minor girl. The case was lodged by the father of the girl after the family noticed that in MarchApril 2021, she had missed her period. The family took the girl to a doctor on April 12, 2021, who confirmed that she was 24 weeks pregnant.
The girl told the family that the accused had sexually assaulted her in April as well as December 2020. The girl said she had informed the accused on December 29, 2020, that she had missed her period. The accused assured her that everything would be fine, but left for his native place on the same day, she said.
Accused Shared The House With Victim's Family
It was claimed that the accused and the father of the girl both worked for the same family as house help. The family and the accused shared a house. After the incident, the accused was arrested on April 14, 2021. In July 2021, when the accused sought bail, he had pleaded that the girl was 14 years old and knew about the consequences of her actions. The court, however, denied him bail saying this was not a case of love affair.
During the trial, prosecutor Veena Shelar examined the girl, her father, evidence related to the abortion of the fetus following a high court order and medical evidence to prove the charges against him. After considering the material on record, the court held the accused guilty of penetrative sexual assault on the minor girl.
