Mumbai: Man gets 14 years for sexual assault of girl under POCSO

MUMBAI: A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court on Thursday convicted and sentenced a 26-year-old man to 14 years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in his neighbourhood.

Special public prosecutor Geeta Sharma said the child and her mother were among those who deposed during the trial. The child’s mother had told police that at 6.15pm, the child had gone out to play, and after about 30 minutes she returned, crying, with a Rs10 note in hand. The mother said the child told her that the accused had lured her with chocolates, taken her to a room in the neighbourhood and sexually assaulted her. The child stated that when she cried and complained of pain, the accused handed her the money.

The mother said the child took her to the room but nobody was there. When the accused came there, the child pointed out to him as the one who had sexually assaulted her. The prosecution stated that the accused was taken to Nirmal Nagar police station by residents, and the mother reported the incident. An FIR was lodged on December 6, 2016. The accused was sentenced under section 6 of POCSO Act for aggravated penetrative sexual assault.