Silent Testimony: Courageous 16-Year-Old's Deposition Leads to Life Sentence for Rapist

A special court in Vasai, Maharashtra, convicted a 48-year-old laborer for raping an intellectually challenged 16-year-old girl in January 2017. The victim, who communicated using sign language, testified against him. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 under the POCSO Act.

In a landmark conviction, a special court in Vasai, Maharashtra, has sentenced a 48-year-old laborer to life imprisonment for raping an intellectually challenged 16-year-old girl. The case stands out as the victim, who cannot speak, used sign language to testify against her assailant.

Special POCSO Judge SV Kongal, who presided over the case, also fined the convict, Sanehi Shrikisan Gaud, Rs 10,000. The harrowing incident occurred in January 2017 when Gaud, who lived in the same neighborhood, raped the girl inside her house while no one was home.

The child conveyed her ordeal to her mother through gestures, leading to a police complaint. During the trial, Special Public Prosecutor Jayprakash Patil presented nine prosecution witnesses, including the brave survivor. The court emphasized the severity of the crime due to the girl's moderate intellectual disability, which made her unable to discern the 'good-bad, right-wrongs' of the atrocity.

Given the grave nature of the offense, Judge Kongal declared, 'Considering the nature of offense, I am of the view that maximum sentence will have to be awarded to the accused,' thereby sealing Gaud's fate with a life sentence.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)