Thane: A courageous deposition by a 13-year-old girl led to the conviction of her 42-year-old father, a carpenter, for offences under the Pocso Act by a special Pocso judge on Monday. The man was sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI).
Judge DS Deshmukh imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 and directed that it be disbursed to the victim as compensation and furthermore referred the case to the DLSA for additional compensation assessment.
Special public prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre told the court that the accused lived in Kalwa with his two daughters from his first wife, alongside his second wife and her son.
On Nov 8, 2020, whilst the second wife and her son were away, and the victim was asleep, the accused sexually assaulted her and threatened her against disclosing the matter to anyone. The victim confided in her elder sister, who expressed helplessness as the accused was their father.
Subsequently, the victim disclosed the incident to her grandmother, who informed her sister. They accompanied the victim to the police station where the offence was registered, and the accused was apprehended. He was charged under the provisions of the IPC and Pocso Act.
The prosecutor stated that six prosecution witnesses, including the victim, testified during the trial. Her relative, the grandmother’s sister who assisted in filing the complaint, turned hostile during court proceedings and withdrew support.
The family members tried to dissuade the victim from testifying against her father.
Nevertheless, the undaunted girl proceeded to testify against her father, which culminated in his conviction.
The Special PP noted that the judge’s ruling was predicated on the victim’s testimony and medical evidence, ultimately finding the accused guilty and pronouncing the sentence.