Nagpur: Additional Sessions Judge O P Jaiswal in Nagpur on Tuesday awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) to Atul Waman Meshram after the charges of aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a minor girl were substantiated against him.
According to the prosecution, Meshram (26), a resident of Sihora, Taluka Parseoni, had sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl between September 2019 and December 2019. The victim’s father was staying separately. When her mother used to go for work, Meshram used to visit her house and rape her. He sexually exploited the girl by threatening to kill her mother and brother.
Today’s Rate
Saturday 02 Nov. 2024
However, when the girl got pregnant, the girl’s mother came to know about the abuse, and took her daughter to Kanhan Police Station on February 10, 2020. They lodged a complaint against Meshram. Following the victim’s complaint, Kanhan Police registered a case under Sections 376(2)(f )(n), 376(3), 504, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), read with Sections 5(j)(2)(l) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act, against Meshram and arrested him.
Assistant Police Inspector Nanda Patil investigated the case and chargesheeted the accused. During the trials, the court examined nine prosecution witnesses. As the charges were proved against Meshram, the court sentenced him to 20 years RI with a fine of Rs 2,000 for the offence under Section 4 of the PoCSO Act. For the offence under Section 6 of the PoCSO Act, the court awarded him 20 years RI with a fine of Rs 2,000. Similarly, the court sentenced him to one year RI for the offence under Section 451 of the IPC with a fine of Rs 100. All the sentences will run concurrently.
Additional Public Prosecutor Rashmi Khaparde represented the State.
