Thane, Mar 23 (PTI) A Thane court has sentenced a 61-year-old man to three years' rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting two minor girls residing in his neighbourhood in 2023.

Additional Sessions Judge A S Bhagwat, in the order on March 15, convicted the accused, Ismail Kalu Shaikh, under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

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A copy of the order was made available on Sunday.

Special Public Prosecutor Vivek Kadu told the court that on October 30, 2023, the accused took the two girls, then aged 5 and 7, to his house in Manpada area of Maharashtra's Thane city and sexually assaulted them.

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One of the girls later informed about the incident to her mother who lodged a police complaint on November 1, 2023.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the accused.

The investigation included medical examination of the victims, spot panchnama (spot inspection), and the recording of witness statements.

The defense requested leniency under the Probation of Offenders Act, citing Shaikh's poor family background and lack of prior criminal record.

However, Judge Bhagwat rejected the plea, emphasising the gravity of the offence.

It is clear that this is "not a fit case" where the extension of benefits of the Probation of Offenders Act provisions can be extended in favour of the accused, he said.

The prosecution has successfully proved the charges against the accused for which he needs to be convicted and sentenced, the court said.

The court highlighted the statutory minimum punishment prescribed under the POCSO Act.

The court also ordered that once the fine amount is realised from the accused, Rs 5,000 each be paid to the two victims as compensation.

A total of seven prosecution witnesses, including the victims, a medical officer, parents of the victims and an investigation officer, were examined during the trial to prove the charges, the prosecutor said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)