Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 29: Nine years after a horrific crime shook the city, a special POCSO court has sentenced five men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl with intellectual disabilities. The victim was abducted and repeatedly assaulted over four days in October 2016, resulting in a pregnancy that was later terminated.

The court acquitted a sixth accused due to lack of evidence. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of exploitation, with the victim initially acquainted with the primary accused, an auto-rickshaw driver. He lured her with the promise of food before raping her. Over the following days, she was subjected to repeated sexual assaults, including gang-rapes at the accused's residence and in a secluded area near a beach where she was held for four days.

The prosecution successfully argued that the accused had taken advantage of the victim's vulnerability, leading to charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The prosecution had consistently opposed bail for the accused, citing the potential threat to the victim and the risk of witness tampering due to their proximity to the survivor's residence.

While one of the accused had been in custody since his arrest in October 2016, the others were out on bail until the verdict. A detailed copy of the judgment is awaited.