Court sentences man to 20-year rigorous imprisonment for raping 2 minor relatives

Kolhapur: A fast-track special court at the Kolhapur district and sessions court has sentenced a 35-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping two minor girls in 2022. Special judge Shailendra Tambe pronounced the judgment in open court on Wednesday, a day after holding the accused guilty.The conviction followed the examination of 11 witnesses by special public prosecutor A A Kulkarni, whose evidence the court found consistent and corroborative. The case marked Kulkarni's 50th conviction in her eight-year career as a public prosecutor at the Kolhapur court.The accused, a relative of the victims' father who frequently visited their home, first assaulted the elder girl, then aged 10, after showing her obscene videos. He assaulted her seven-year-old sister a few days later.The man was booked under sections 376, 376(2)(f), 376(3), 376(AB), 354(A) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 4, 6, 8, 9(m), 10 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.While convicting the accused on April 28, judge Tambe noted that a careful appraisal of records and witness testimonies proved beyond doubt that the accused committed heinous crimes against the two minors. The court observed that prosecution witnesses corroborated one another and conclusively established the charges.The judge noted that sexual assault at such a young age can embed lasting trauma in victims, leading to adverse cognitive development and mental health disorders in adulthood. "In view of the affirmative findings against the accused, the prosecution has proved the case beyond reasonable doubt," the court said.Special public prosecutor Kulkarni said the conviction was based on strong documentary and oral evidence, witness statements, and guidance from prior high court and Supreme Court judgments in similar cases.
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