A special Pocso court in Kalyan on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a cognitively impaired minor girl in 2019. Special judge V A Patravale convicted the accused, a resident of Jalgaon, for offences under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (rape) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
Incident at Kalyan Railway Station
The 15-year-old girl, whose social age was estimated at only four-and-a-half years, was found crying at Kalyan Railway Station in Thane district by a taxi driver on May 29, 2019. Medical examination revealed that she was five months pregnant, said additional public prosecutor R R Bhoir.
Investigation and Evidence
Probe revealed that the accused, who was the husband of the girl's aunt, had sexually exploited the girl at Jalgaon and left her at the Kalyan station, more than 400 km away, when she became pregnant. DNA analysis identified the accused as the biological father of the child born to the minor in September 2019. The prosecution examined nine witnesses during the trial.
Court's Observations
In the detailed judgment, judge Patravale noted that the accused took advantage of the girl's vulnerability and eventually left her at the railway station at the mercy of society 'without giving a thought to what will happen to her in this city.' The judge further remarked, 'Considering her mental condition, it is only the grace of God that she was found... and thus, came in the hands of proper authority where she could give birth to a child safely and could stay beyond the clutches of the wicked people in society.'
Compensation and Fine
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 on the accused, to be paid to the minor. The judge directed the District Legal Services Authority to award compensation to the girl, to be used for her rehabilitation, treatment, and special needs.
