Man gets 7 years for sexual assault on minor neighbour

MUMBAI: A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 32-year-old man to seven years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl.

The child's ordeal was revealed only in 2013 when, as a 13-year-old, she was admitted to

BYL Nair Hospital

for burn injuries and later tuberculosis and the accused molested her even while she was undergoing treatment.

Special public prosecutor Usha Jadhav said the accused was convicted under section 4 (

sexual assault

) of the POCSO Act. In her deposition before the court, the victim's mother said in 2013, while returning from a vacation in

Bhusawal

, there was a fire on the train in which the child sustained injuries on her stomach and back and was admitted to a hospital in the city.

The mother said the girl was later shifted to the sixth floor of the hospital in the elevator, in which the accused too was present. The mother said after reaching the ward, the child told her the accused had molested her in the elevator. She told the court that the child knew the accused as he lived in front of their house. The mother then lodged a complaint with the cops. Initially, cops booked the accused on molestation charges.

It was much later on August 12, 2013, when the child's statement was recorded, that she revealed when she was younger, the accused used to give her biscuits and toffees and take her to his house. She stated that he had then repeatedly raped her and threatened to kill her if she revealed the incident to anyone. The charges against the accused were then enhanced and he was also booked for rape.

When the child deposed in court as a 15-year-old, the court observed that she was crying. The court also pointed out that it seemed she was ill and still deposed in court. She submitted the accused had done "ganda kaam" with her and identified the accused in court.

During the cross examination by the defence, the victim denied allegations that when she was a child there were frequent quarrels between her mother and the accused. She also denied that the police had told her what to say in the court.