Hyderabad: Being the sole breadwinner in the family and needing to take care of his 100-year-old mother, did not deter a city court from sentencing a 45-year-old man, who was found guilty of sexually abusing his minor neighbour at Chandrayangutta.
The court sentenced the man to rigorous imprisonment for three years. After being pronounced guilty of the crime, the convict urged the court to reduce the sentence, citing his family conditions, but the court said that a lenient view could not be taken as the crime was serious.
According to police, the convict and the survivor lived in the same locality, and the girl knew the convict. In October 2022, during a power cut at night in the area, the girl came out of her house to play with neighbouring children. The convict, taking advantage, molested the girl but fled when she raised an alarm.
During the trial, the convict claimed that the girl’s family had a false case registered against him due to previous grudges arising out of quarrels between children in the area while playing. He also claimed that since the alleged incident happened during a power cut, instead of identifying the actual perpetrator, the girl identified him at her mother’s instance.
However, the court noted that though there was no power supply to houses in the area, the street lights were functioning, and the girl identified him. The court also pointed out that the evidence on record did not disclose the particulars related to grudges as claimed by him and also the gravity of the grudge to implicate him in a case by taking cover of a heinous crime, said an official.
“The court observed that he routinely took a defence and did not rebut the presumptions either through cross-examination or by adducing any evidence. Unless he committed the crime, there was no need for the girl or her mother to depose false evidence against him,” said the official.
After completion of the trial, the court ruled , it was clear that by taking advantage of the tender age of the girl and darkness, with sexual intent, the convict molested her, the official added,.
The court sentenced the man to rigorous imprisonment for three years. After being pronounced guilty of the crime, the convict urged the court to reduce the sentence, citing his family conditions, but the court said that a lenient view could not be taken as the crime was serious.
According to police, the convict and the survivor lived in the same locality, and the girl knew the convict. In October 2022, during a power cut at night in the area, the girl came out of her house to play with neighbouring children. The convict, taking advantage, molested the girl but fled when she raised an alarm.
During the trial, the convict claimed that the girl’s family had a false case registered against him due to previous grudges arising out of quarrels between children in the area while playing. He also claimed that since the alleged incident happened during a power cut, instead of identifying the actual perpetrator, the girl identified him at her mother’s instance.
However, the court noted that though there was no power supply to houses in the area, the street lights were functioning, and the girl identified him. The court also pointed out that the evidence on record did not disclose the particulars related to grudges as claimed by him and also the gravity of the grudge to implicate him in a case by taking cover of a heinous crime, said an official.
“The court observed that he routinely took a defence and did not rebut the presumptions either through cross-examination or by adducing any evidence. Unless he committed the crime, there was no need for the girl or her mother to depose false evidence against him,” said the official.
After completion of the trial, the court ruled , it was clear that by taking advantage of the tender age of the girl and darkness, with sexual intent, the convict molested her, the official added,.
