Mumbai, April 6: The Bombay High Court recently upheld the life sentence of a man who kidnapped and raped a four-year-old girl in Dahisar in 2012. The accused had kidnapped the minor girl, who lived on a footpath, when she went to buy chocolates at around 9:30 PM. At around 11:30 PM, the accused, who was drunk, returned the victim to her parents, claiming that he found her crying at a nearby bus stop with a fleeing stranger. Back then, the child was bleeding from her genitals, and a medical examination confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.

The accused was arrested after the victim narrated her ordeal to her mother. After his arrest, the accused was presented before a sessions court in Borivali, which convicted him to life imprisonment on November 8, 2017. The accused challenged the verdict before the high court, reports FPJ. During the trial, the accused's lawyer, Tanvi Tapkire, questioned the prosecution's case and cited a two-hour delay in the filing of the FIR. Bombay HC Slaps INR 1 Lakh Cost on Software Engineer for Evading Maintenance Payment to Wife, Finds His Claim of Salary Dropping to INR 20,000 From INR 5.5 Lakh per Month ‘Unbelievable’.

Tapkire also pointed out that the victim's mother did not immediately inform the father about the incident, thereby suggesting the possibility of the victim being tutored. In her argument before the court, the accused's lawyer also said that the inconsistencies in the chain of custody of forensic samples before reaching the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) cast doubt on their authenticity. However, the court laid emphasis on the victim's consistent testimony and said that higher weightage is given to the victim's testimony in sexual offense cases.

The high court bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale also noted that the victim's parents' testimonies provided a consistent sequence of the events. While addressing concerns about the forensic samples, the Bombay High Court noted the absence of any suggestion of tampering during cross-examination. The Bombay High Court also observed that the DNA analysis of the victim's swabs matched the accused's blood sample, thus providing strong scientific corroboration. Mumbai Shocker: 24-Year-Old Woman Attacks Stepfather With Knife, Severs Genitals After Years of Alleged Sexual Abuse in Nalasopara; Arrested.

In its order on Friday, April 4, the high court upheld the accused's conviction and life sentence and said, "Tears of a child victim must be understood for their true worth. This silence cannot benefit the respondent (accused / convict). The silence here is that of a child."

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2025 10:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).