Maharashtra: Man gets 10-yr RI for raping minor girl in Palghar

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A court in Maharashtra's Palghar district has sentenced a 47-year-old man to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl in 2016.

The court of special judge Sanjaykumar V Khongal, hearing cases pertaining to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, in the order passed on Friday also imposed a collective fine of Rs 6,000 under various charges on the accused, who worked as a security guard in Virar town.

A copy of the order was made available on Sunday.

Special Public Prosecutor Jayprakash Patil told the court that the girl, then aged seven, and the accused resided in the same locality. The victim's father also worked as a security guard.

On February 3, 2016, when the girl's mother went to fetch water, the accused took the victim to his house under some pretext and raped her.

When the girl's mother returned, she found her daughter at the house of the accused.

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The girl later complained of stomach pain and informed about the incident to her mother following which a police complaint was filed and the accused was arrested, the prosecution told the court.

The judge held that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt all the charges against the accused, who needs to be convicted and sentenced, the prosecutor said.

"The state has the responsibility to punish the wrong doer/the guilty and also to see the victim is not only compensated by the state for the loss and injury suffered but also for the rehabilitation of the victim," the court said.

"The object and purpose of section 357(A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure is to enable the court to direct the state to pay compensation to the victim. It is one of the method to protect the victim and rehabilitate her," it said.

The judge said the court has also inquired with the accused about his financial position. He was a security guard having three children and had a meagre earning source, it noted.

"The victim belongs to a poor financial background. The humiliation or the reputation that is snuffed out cannot be re-compensated, but then monetary compensation will at least provide some solace. The victim and her family have suffered a lot. Therefore, taking into consideration all these factors, this court is of the view to grant compensation to the victim through the District Legal Services Authority," the judge said in his order.

The judge ordered that upon realisation of the fine amount, a sum of Rs 5,000 be paid to the victim as compensation.

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