Youth gets jail for molesting minor on way to public toilet

A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) on Monday sentenced a 25-year-old to three years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 16year-old neighbour at night when she was on her way to the public toilet.

The youth had taken the defence that they were having a love affair and she had come to meet him, but when her brothers saw her with him, the complaint was lodged to save her reputation. His advocate had also pointed out to the court that in her statement before the magistrate, the minor had not stated about the act of him touching her inappropriately, but only stated about him gagging her mouth after pulling her into a room.

Special judge under the POCSO Act Rekha N. Pandhare said in her judgment that the victim’s testimony before court corroborates with her FIR. Mere omission to tell the act before the magistrate will not take away her testimony which is duly corroborated with the FIR along with her mother’s testimony and the prompt lodging of the FIR. “Said evidence before on record is convincing and inspiring the confidence of the court,” Judge Pandhare said.

Her statement before the doctor who had examined her after the FIR was lodged also corroborates the fact, the court said.

While deciding the quantum of the sentence, the court said that the victim is 16 years old and accused 25. In the wee hours of the night, the act was done and along with sentencing the accused to three years in jail, the court also directed him to pay a compensation of Rs. 10,000 to the victim.