Man whom underage girl considered as ‘uncle’ rapes her; Thane court sentences him to 20 years in prison – India TV

Crime news: A 54-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Thane court for raping a minor girl who considered him her “mama” (maternal uncle). The court observed that the crime was “heinous and disgusting” and should be dealt with harshly. The accused had clearly not respected the relationship of his maternal foster uncle with the girl, Special POCSO Judge Ruby U Malvankar said in a July 5 verdict. A copy of the verdict was released on Monday.

The court’s remarks came after the man, a cook by profession and hailing from Ahmednagar, was convicted of rape, criminal intimidation and invoking various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO).

What allegations were made against the man?

Special Public Prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale told the court that the victim, then 16, approached the police with a complaint in 2018, stating that she lived with her father and two brothers in the Manpada area of ​​Thane district in Maharashtra.

In August 2017, the girl’s maternal uncle came to live with her. At first he behaved well, but from September he began to touch her under some pretext when she was alone at home. One night, when the girl’s father was drunk and asleep, the accused touched her inappropriately and raped her, the prosecutor told the court.

When the girl screamed, the accused gagged her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident. After this threat, the girl did not tell anyone about the incident and after that the accused frequently touched her inappropriately. When she told him that she would inform her father, the accused left her seat.

What did the court say?

Based on the girl’s complaint, the police filed a complaint on June 16, 2018. The judge stated in her verdict that the crime proven against the accused was “very heinous and disgusting.”

“He committed the said offence against a girl under 16 years of age who always called and treated him as ‘Mama’,” the court said.

“The accused does not seem to have appreciated the relationship of a maternal foster uncle with his niece-like daughter. Such an act between such relatives is certainly unacceptable and deserves to be condemned and severely punished so as to send a corresponding message to like-minded people in the society which will act as a deterrent,” it said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 22,000 on the accused and said that the same must be paid to the victim to ensure her rehabilitation.

(With PTI inputs)

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