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

A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by a Thane court in Maharashtra for raping a minor girl in 2015.

District and special POCSO court judge S B Bahalkar on Wednesday pronounced the punishment to the accused, Shivmani Ramdulhar Jaiswar, who worked as a carpenter, and also imposed a fine of Rs 27,000 on him.

According to the prosecution, the accused and the victim, then aged 10 years, were neighbours in the city's Manorama Nagar area and knew each other.

On July 17, 2015, the accused went to the girl's house when she was alone and raped her. He threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed about the offence to anyone, the prosecution told the court.

The girl later informed her mother, who lodged a police complaint following which the accused was arrested and booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 376(2)(i) (rape)and 506 (criminal intimidation), and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The judge, while pronouncing the sentence, held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt all the charges against the accused.