The Maharashtra auto-rickshaw driver kidnapped and raped a 17-year-old girl in 2017.
Thane, Maharashtra: A court in Maharashtra has sentenced an auto-rickshaw driver to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a 17-year-old girl in 2017.
In the order pronounced on Monday, Additional Sessions Judge VV Virkar (special judge for POCSO cases) also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the accused - 33-year-old Laxmikant Basant Dubey.
Special Public Prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale told the court that the survivor's father was also an auto-rickshaw driver. On December 28, 2017, the girl went missing when her parents had gone out for work. After being unable to find her, the parents approached the police who registered a case of kidnapping.
According to the prosecution, the accused had taken the girl to Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh and between December 2017 and March 2018, he raped her repeatedly.
Later, the accused was arrested and charged under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The prosecution examined nine witnesses, including the victim, to prove the case.
The judge in her order said the prosecution has successfully proved the charges against the accused beyond all reasonable doubt.
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