Thane: A special Pocso court in Thane sentenced a 42-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in Mumbra in 2021. The judge, while convicting the accused, noted, “Instead of showing fatherly love, affection, and protection to the child against the evils of society, he rather made her the victim of lust.”
Ahmad Rehamatullah Shaikh, a resident of Mumbra, was convicted under multiple sections of the Pocso Act and Indian Penal Code for assaulting the minor girl who visited his house to play with his children. Special Judge D.S. Deshmukh also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of default.
The incident occurred on Dec 27 and 28, 2021, when the accused lured the minor into his kitchen while his children were playing in the bedroom. The crime came to light when the minor’s mother noticed her unusual behaviour, with the child repeatedly saying she didn’t want to visit the neighbour’s house anymore. The mother filed a police complaint on Dec 29, 2021, after her daughter disclosed the assault.
Dr Kavita Velankar, who examined the child at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, testified that while there were no external physical injuries, sexual assault could not be ruled out based on the child’s history. In the 30-page judgment, Judge Deshmukh emphasised that such offences must be dealt with stringently to send a clear message to society. The defence counsel, argued that there was a two-day delay in filing the complaint and claimed the accused was falsely implicated due to a dispute with his wife. However, the court rejected these arguments, finding no merit in the defence’s contentions.
While determining the sentence, the court considered that the accused, now 42, has small children and is the sole earning member of his family. However, given the serious nature of the offence and statutory minimum sentence requirements under the 2019 Pocso Act amendments, the court imposed the 20-year term. The court also recommended compensation for the victim through the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Thane.