Thane, March 19 A special POCSO court here has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Palghar district in 2018, describing the crime as "heinous".
Special Judge N K Karande, delivering the verdict on March 11, held the accused, Sandesh Ganpat Kharpade (35), guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the accused.
The incident occurred on August 5, 2018, in the Wada taluka of Palghar district.
According to the prosecution, the accused lured the victim to his house under the pretext of giving her sweets while her parents were away at work and sexually assaulted her.
The assault resulted in severe injuries to the child, who was later found bleeding by her parents.
The court relied on the victim's "trustworthy" testimony and medical evidence that confirmed the assault.
The crime committed by the accused is "heinous", it said.
The defence had argued that the case was falsely foisted due to a prior dispute and pointed to the lack of external injuries on the victim's limbs.
The court, however, dismissed these claims, saying no parents would put up the life of their child "on the anvil" and ruin it.
The claim that the victim sustained injury (to her private parts) by falling is not believable, it noted.
The victim categorically denied the defence of the accused. The defence has not suggested any reason to depose the victim as false, the court said.
While the accused pleaded for leniency, citing his weak financial condition and status as a first-time offender, the court held that the nature of the crime warranted a severe penalty.
The court further noted that the medical evidence corroborated the child's account of the assault.
Special Public Prosecutor Vijay M Munde examined 12 witnesses, including the victim, to prove the charges.