Man gets 7 years’ RI for sex assault of minor

THANE: The Thane sessions court on Tuesday convicted a 20-year-old man from Navi Mumbai and sentenced him to seven years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2018.
The accused, Daksh alias Danny Awhad was convicted by special judge VV Virkar who also imposed a fine of Rs 6,000.
Rekha Hiwrale, who was appointed as a special public prosecutor said the victim was studying in the ninth standard of an English medium school. On July 19, 2018, the mother of the girl enquired with school authorities about the girl however, the school authorities told her that she had not come to school on that day. The mother of the girl carried out a frantic search and found her with the accused in a garden behind the school.
The girl was subjected to a sexual abuse by the accused and a case was registered with the local police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Children from Sexual offence Act (Pocso).
The defence counsel contended the prosecution version and pointed several lacunas in the case. While the prosecution maintained that the girl was minor and subjected to sexual abuse by the accused. Hiwrale said a total of nine witnesses testified in the court that nailed the accused.
The judge in her order noted that the prosecution has successfully proved the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubts for which he needs to be convicted and sentenced.
The accused was convicted under section 363 (kidnapping) , 376 (rape) and other section of Pocso Act.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)