In a huge win for a minor rape victim, Maharashtra’s Palghar district court sentenced the rapist Sanehi Shrikisan Gaud to life imprisonment following the testification of the girl.
The court convicted the perpetrator, a 48-year-old labourer, after the speech-impaired and intellectually challenged 16-year-old girl’s deposition using sign language.
On June 28, a special court that hears cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Vasai, sentenced the convict to life imprisonment. Special POCSO Judge SV Kongal also fined the convict with Rs 10,000 in his order.
During the court hearings, Special Public Prosecutor Jayprakash Patil revealed in the court that the girl lived in Gaud’s neighbourhood in January 2017. One day when nobody was home, he raped her.
Nine witness, including victim testified
Later, the child narrated the sexual assault to her mother through gestures. Shocked by this her family promptly filed a police complaint against Gaud. Notably, Gaud is married and has two children.
Patil also said that nine prosecution witnesses, including the survivor herself, who communicated through sign language, testified in the court.
The court in its order took a strong stance and said that the girl has a moderate intellectual disability and that she could not understand “good-bad, right-wrongs of the crime, which makes the act a serious one”.
“Considering the nature of the offence, I am of the view that maximum sentence will have to be awarded to the accused,” said the judge in his order awarding a life sentence to Gaud.
(With PTI Inputs)
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