Mumbai: A 66-year-old Ghatkopar doctor, owner of a health products store, was recently convicted and sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl working for him. The accused accosted the girl in the storeroom in 2018. “There is an increase in the cases of sexual offences against children… child sexual abuse cases demonstrate the inhumane mindset of the accused. The children are easy prey due to their tender age, physical vulnerabilities, and inexperience of life and society,” Special Judge Madhuri S Deshpande said.
The accused was also fined Rs 6,000. The amount, if recovered, will be paid to the girl as compensation. “The incident caused an adverse impact on the mind of the victim. No compensation can either be adequate or be of any respite to the victim. But, then monetary compensation will at least provide some solace,” the judge said. The accused was out on bail during the period of the trial.
The girl moved to the city as she enrolled in a computer course and stayed with her maternal uncle. She also worked at the store of the accused. The girl and her maternal uncle were among the witnesses in the case.
The victim deposed that she began working at the accused’s shop eight days before the incident. On March 22, 2018, she went to the accused’s residence to retrieve the shop keys. The accused’s wife informed her that the accused had the keys and was in the storeroom. Upon entering the storeroom and addressing the accused as ‘kaka’ (uncle), he invited her further inside and asked her to close the door. As she did so, he remarked, “You look very good today.” He then handed her the keys, hugged her tightly, kissed, and molested her. She immediately shouted, pushed him away, and left. After the incident, she sat in the shop and cried before leaving. She immediately told her maternal cousin what happened. On March 23, 2018, her maternal uncle, noticing she hadn’t gone to work, asked her why. She then disclosed the incident to him, and together they went to file a police complaint.
Relying on the statements, the judge found the accused guilty. “There is a very adverse impact of the incident on the victim, on her family members, and even on society. They are under the impression that the house and nearby vicinity are not safe for children, and it is going to cause an alarming situation in society. Such a type of incident is going to affect the mental health and future of the minor victim, and she will not be in a position to forget it,” the judge said.