Mumbai: A special POCSO court sentenced a 33-year-old neighbour to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at his residence. The accused had lured the girl to his home under the pretext of helping her write a letter.
The incident occurred on November 20, 2016, when the girl’s mother was visiting a relative. The girl was playing outside with a friend, and when her mother returned, she found her daughter crying. The girl disclosed that the accused had invited her and her friend to his house, where he sent the friend out to buy food. He then made the girl lie down on the floor and assaulted her. The girl managed to escape when the accused went to fetch water.
The accused claimed the victim’s father owed him Rs 55,000, and the case was fabricated to avoid payment. However, the court dismissed this defence due to a lack of evidence, observing, “In sexual assault cases, a mother would not jeopardise her daughter’s future, and such incidents are usually hidden to protect family honour. The accused failed to provide any evidence for his claim of false implication.”
