PANAJI: The Goa children’s court on Monday sentenced three members of a Porvorim-based family to three years’ simple imprisonment for employing a 12-year-old girl as a housemaid and for also causing hurt to her.
The accused
Audumbar Pednekar, his wife
Meenaxi Pednekar, and
Rekha Vaghela, had allegedly harassed the young girl.
President of the court
Vandana Tendulkar stated in her order that the medical evidence on record revealed a number of injuries caused to the child during her stay with the accused and that her testimony was sufficient to reveal the nature of treatment accorded to her.
Tendulkar added that the evidence was sufficient to show that the accused took advantage of the minor’s poor economic status, illiteracy of her family members and her age factor.
Public prosecutor
K Sanzgiri sought maximum punishment for the accused for subjecting the minor girl to
torture.
Advocate R
Desai, who appeared for Audumbar and Rekha, pleaded before the court to take a lenient view as it was the first offence for which the accused had been convicted.
The court held that the ‘serious offence’ could not be dealt with lightly “since it is an offence of ‘child abuse’ under the Goa Children’s Act 2003 specially enacted with the object to protect, promote and preserve the best interest of the children and to create a society that is proud to be child-friendly.’’
The children’s court found that the child was physically and psychologically abused between April and July 2009 and that she was branded with a hot spoon among other objects. In all, 13 witnesses were examined. Advocate D Dhond argued on behalf of Meenaxi.
Representative image