Mumbai: Maulana who raped minor student gets life sentence

MUMBAI: A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court on Thursday convicted and sentenced a 50-year-old maulana to life imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting his 10-year-old student over a four-month period in 2017. While the child, her father and sister did not support the prosecution’s case, the mother, the complainant in the case, stood by her statement, ensuring the accused was found guilty.

The mother told the court the survivor was among four children. She said the survivor and her sister used to go to the maulana for religious studies. The mother said on October 9, 2017, the survivor came home crying and when she asked her the reason, the child said she would only tell her if she promised not to scold or beat her. The mother stated the child then revealed the maulana used to touch her inappropriately. She also said he had raped her on three occasions. The mother was also told that the maulana used to give his mobile phone to her other daughter and make her sit outside.

The mother said she then took the child to a female doctor in the vicinity and narrated the incident. She said the doctor advised her to go to the state run-JJ Hospital. She said the child’s father was away in Nashik and she confided in him when he returned a day later. She said a doctor at JJ Hospital then told them an FIR would have to be lodged.

The woman said on October 14, 2017 cops lodged an FIR in the case. During her cross examination, the mother denied the defence suggestion she was deposing falsely due to a misunderstanding. She also denied the maulana used to hit her daughters with a stick so that they would improve their learning of the scriptures. The mother also denied her daughters were not willing to go for religious studies.