Man gets 10-yr jail for sexual assault on orphaned teen boy
Requesting leniency, he had told the court that his wife and daughter are dependent on him as he is the only earning member in the family
A special court has sentenced a man to ten years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 15year-old orphaned boy from his neighbourhood. The victim was residing with his relatives.
The man had requested leniency after being found guilty of the offence. He had told the court that his wife and daughter are dependent on him and that he is the only earning member in the family. The court had noted the young age of the victim at the time of the incident, that his parents were no more and that he was staying with his maternal uncle and grandparents. “The accused, who was 51-years-old, instead of protecting him, took advantage of his condition and subjected him to repeated penetrative sexual assault,” the court stated in its judgment while denying him leniency. It also added that the accused knew the victim and was aware of his young age and vulnerability.
Special Judge Bharti Kale, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, stated in the order that the reason given by the accused does not make him eligible for leniency as the nature of offence is serious. The court said the victim will have to be compensated for the physical and mental injuries suffered by him at such a young age. It then directed the man to pay Rs 20,000 in total as a fine. Of this amount, Rs 15,000 will be given as compensation to the victim.
The matter came to light after a neighbour had got suspicious when he saw the man taking the victim to a dilapidated structure. He followed them and then saw the man sexually assaulting the teen inside the structure. He had then alerted the boy’s relatives about it, within a few minutes. When asked about it, the boy told his family that the assaults had happened in the past too. The man would make him watch obscene content on his mobile phone before committing the act.