Mumbai: A special POCSO court has sentenced a 54-year-old man to seven years imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 14-year-old niece for two years and compelling her to share her nudes.
In her complaint lodged at the Vikhroli police station, the teen's widowed mother said that her daughter's ordeal started from December 31, 2015.
She further said that they had gathered at the house of the accused, who is the husband of her elder sister, to celebrate the New Year's Eve. After the party, all the women slept in one room, while the victim, her cousins and the accused slept at another place in the house. The man took advantage of the situation and inappropriately touched the teen. From here on, started the abhorrent cycle of sexual assault, said the girl's mother, adding that he even gave threats to the minor and compelled her to share nudes.
The man was finally exposed when the woman's elder sister revealed that she saw nude pics of the victim in her husband's phone. When the complainant tried to check the man's device, he pushed her and took his phone back. He was caught by the people and taken to the police station. The case was registered on January 22, 2017.
Accused tells different story to save himself
In his defence, the accused claimed that his wife's family was against their marriage, given it was interfaith. Besides, he asserted that after the death of the complainant's husband, he gave up to ₹4.5 lakh to help her. The man continued that the false case was lodged as he sought his money back. In her deposition, his wife squarely blamed the victim, alleging that she used to constantly call the accused, and made sexual advances by sending her nudes.
Court takes a strong stance against accused
Rejecting the argument, the court observed, "The defence raised by the accused is not found to be probable and reliable. He failed to prove the same. Moreover, the fact regarding the alleged voluntary act by the victim to send such nudes to the accused is also not acceptable.” She was a minor girl of tender age and admittedly accused was 40 years old (at the time of the incident). In that case, there is no possibility of a love affair or even attraction. Normally, no girl would come forward to lodge such a complaint by keeping her chastity at stake, said the judge.
