Mumbai POCSO Court Sentences 19-Year-Old to Two Years for Molesting Minor

Mumbai, 2nd August 2024: In a notable decision, a special POCSO court in Mumbai sentenced a 19-year-old to two years of rigorous imprisonment for inappropriately touching a minor girl and expressing his affection. Judge Ashwini Lokhande, who oversaw the case, determined that the actions of the defendant had violated the dignity of the 14-year-old victim.

The case, which dates back five years, was brought to light when the victim’s mother reported the incident to the Sakinaka police station in September 2019. The girl had returned home in distress after an encounter with a man who followed her to the first floor of their building, grabbed her hand, and declared his love.

The accused denied the allegations, asserting that he had been in a consensual relationship with the girl and that she had willingly met him that day. Despite his claims, the court convicted him of molestation under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), although he was acquitted of charges under the POCSO Act.

Judge Lokhande noted that if the relationship had been genuine, the victim would likely have kept the incident hidden from her mother out of embarrassment.