Thane: More than decade after rape of minor, man sentenced to 10 years in jail

A Thane court has sentenced a 32yearold man to ten years rigorous imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault of a then 11yearold girl in the district in 2013 reported news agency PTIDinesh S Deshmukh special judge for Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act cases delivered the verdict on WednesdayBablu alias Mohammad Mustapha Imtiyaz Shaikh who was 20 years old at the time of the crime was found guilty under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and for rape under the Indian Penal Code reported PTIThe Thane court also imposed a fine of Rs 10000 on himSpecial Public Prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre said the survivor lived in the same locality in Mumbra as the accusedOn the evening of July 6 2013 when the girl was returning home from school Shaikh accosted her and compelled her to go with him threatening to beat up her family members otherwise said Advocate Mhatre reported PTIHe took her to his house and raped herAfter the girl narrated the incident to her mother a complaint was registered with Mumbra PoliceWe examined six witnesses including the survivor and her mother to prove the case the prosecutor told reportersThe defence argued that the accused was falsely implicated because the girls mother wanted a contract which the accused had obtained for her soninlaw However the Thane court rejected this argument Advocate Mhatre said reported PTIThe Thane court found the girls deposition reliable noting that a child would not lie The court also accepted the medical reports while convicting the accused the prosecutor addedJudge Deshmukh directed that the fine amount be given to the survivor as compensation The case has also been referred to the District Legal Services Authority for the payment of additional compensationThane court acquits man booked under MCOCA for highway robberyIn another case a special court in Thane district has acquitted a man booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act MCOCA in a 17yearold highway robbery and dacoity case citing insufficient evidenceAdditional Special Judge A N Sirsikar acquitted Shobhan alias Gando Himla Machar of charges under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCAA copy of the order dated April 29 was made available on MondayMachar was arrested in 2008 in connection with a robbery on the MumbaiAhmedabad Highway on December 9 2007 during which vehicles were stopped and occupants looted of valuables worth more than Rs 3 lakhWith inputs from PTIatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params