Maharashtra Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Sexual Abuse Under POCSO Act

A special POCSO court in Thane district, Maharashtra, has sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing his nine-year-old daughter. The case came to light thanks to a vigilant neighbor. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the 35-year-old convicted man.

A special POCSO court in Thane district, Maharashtra, has handed down a 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentence to a man found guilty of sexually abusing his nine-year-old daughter. The heinous act was exposed by a vigilant neighbor.

On Tuesday, Judge DS Deshmukh imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the 35-year-old convict, alongside the prison sentence.

Special Public Prosecutor Sandhya H Mhatre revealed in court that the man would take advantage of his wife's absence and drive away their other children to commit the abuse. The case was brought to light in August 2020 when a 20-year-old neighbor noticed a change in the girl's behavior and encouraged her to speak out. Subsequently, the neighbor reported the matter to the police, leading to the man's arrest. Six prosecution witnesses, including the neighbor, testified in court; however, the girl and her mother were not among them, Mhatre added.

(With inputs from agencies.)