Mumbai Crime: Karate teacher gets 7 years in jail for sexually abusing twin sisters

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A 43-year-old karate teacher was awarded a jail sentence of 7 years by a POCSO court in Mumbai for sexually abusing two sisters who were his students.

As per an India Today report, the incident came to light in 2015 when one of the two sisters refused to attend classes barely 10 days after joining. It was later found out that Dattatray Bajirao Kate would undress her in the changing room and abuse her.

He repeated the same act with the other sister as well. After finding out about it, the parents had filed a complaint in 2015 but the accused was released on bail.

However, the POCSO court now has convicted him. In her 30-page order Judge Rekha N Pandhare said, "The object of punishment is to deter as well as to penalise the accused for his act as well as to prevent the others like-minded people who may commit such offence with the helpless children."

"Here, the accused has left a scar on the psyche of both the victims that they would never be able to join such classes, much less, for defending themselves. Therefore, the accused does not deserve any form of leniency," the order went on to say.

Dattatray Bajirao Kate has been convicted under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).