52-year-old man gets 12-year jail term for raping minor

OCSOMUMBAI: A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act court has convicted and sentenced a 52-year-old labourer to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly raping his intellectually deficient minor neighbour. While the accused brought four witnesses-his neighbours-to deny the minor's claims, the court held her testimony was reliable.
"The testimony of the prosecutrix inspires confidence, worthy of credence. Upon evaluating and appraising the testimony of the prosecution witnesses, I find that the prosecution has been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused with sexual intent committed penetrative sexual assault upon the mentally disabled victim girl who is his neighbour and threatened her not to disclose his act or else she would have to face dire consequences," the court said
Besides the child, her mother, grandmother and the doctor who conducted the medical examination soon after the incident was reported and the doctor who conducted her IQ test on the court's orders, were among those who deposed.
The minor said she used to refer to the accused as 'baba'. The child said on two occasions in 2014, the accused raped her when no one was home. She said he had also threatened her with a knife.