Man sentenced to 12 years jail for raping minor

Thane:A 30-year-old man has been sentenced by a district court to 12 years rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor tribal girl.

Additional Sessions Judge U M Nandeshwar yesterday awarded a 12-year jail term to Madkya Govind Warghade alias Sanjay, who worked as a waiter in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, after finding him guilty of raping the six-year-old girl in 2013.

A resident of Pachali village of Nashik district, Warghade was tried under IPC section 376 (rape), 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366-A (procuration of minor girl) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Public Prosecutor Ruma Navle, in her submission, told the court that the accused had come down to Wada taluka in Palghar to visit his sister on December 21, 2013. He sneaked into the neighbour’s house ai night when the victim was sleeping with her grandmother. He then took her to a secluded place and sexually assaulted her.

The girl was found dumped the next day in a jungleafter which an FIR was lodged with Mokhada police station by the victim’s parents. The accused was arrested after four days of the incident.

Based on the deposition of the victim and medical evidence, the Judge sentenced Warghade and also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000.