Man accused of molesting minor girl now faces charges for rape

MUMBAI:A trial in the molestation case of an eight-year-old girl has been turned into a rape trial after the sessions court judge on Tuesday allowed the prosecution’s application to convert the case. If the court finds him guilty, the accused is looking at possible life imprisonment, instead of being jailed for five years.

The development came on judgment day when the prosecution submitted an application to add Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for penetrative sexual assault. The accused, Akbar Chaudhary, was on trial over a 2015 incident in Malad (East).

The Kurar police arrested Chaudhary in 2015. As per the prosecution’s case, Chaudhary, who is in his mid-forties, had sent the girl to get ‘paan’ for him. When she got it for him, he took her to his room and as she sat there watching television, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The court was likely to pronounce judgment in the case on August 21. It was then that the prosecution stepped forward with the application to add the charges. “No prejudice will be caused to the accused if the charges were added as there is evidence to that effect on record,” the prosecution had submitted. Defence counsel TR Patel objected to the addition of new charges stating there was no evidence to support it.

Accepting the application of the prosecution, additional sessions judge AD Deo allowed the charge to be altered. Chaudhary has pleaded not guilty to the newly added charge. He is out on bail. FARHAN SHAIKH