Mumbai Crime: Lawyer gets three years in jail for molesting 16-year-old girl

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A lawyer has been convicted of molesting the 16-year-old daughter of a client. The Sessions Court has sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment in an order dated July 15.

The minor's mother filed a complaint in the matter in 2014 with the Antop Hill police. As per her statement to the police, she met the convict, Bharatkumar Pandey, when looking to file an affidavit after she lost her election card and other crucial documents. Pandey had offered to file the affidavit at a low rate.

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Bharatkumar Pandey, the convict

He later asked for her whereabouts and learned that she lived in Antop Hill on rent. Pandey then offered to show her houses in Nalasopara and the woman went there along with her daughter. A few days later, Pandey asked her to meet him near her house to discuss some urgent matter.

When the complainant and the minor girl met him outside their building, Pandey said his neighbour's flat was getting vacant and offered the place to her if she let him have a physical relationship with her daughter. He also touched the minor girl inappropriately.

The woman raised an alarm and handed Pandey over to the police with help from neighbours. Antop Hill booked him under Sections 354 and 354 (a) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Pandey was later granted bail while the matter was being heard. After the trial, the court passed an order convicting Pandey, fined him and sentenced him to jail.

2014
Year when the molestation incident took place