A peon working at a state-run school in Mankhurd raped two mentally challenged girls, who were studying in the school. Three years after filing a complaint against him, he has now been convicted by the court and sentenced for a lifetime.

Special Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) court on Monday sentenced the peon and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on him.

According to special public prosecutor Vaibhav Baghade, the girls were admitted in the home for mentally challenged maintained by the social justice department. They, along with 23 other selected children, had been admitted to a school in Makhurd under the ‘Sarva Siksha Abhiyan’ scheme.

On March 21, 2014, an officer from the social justice department, who dealt with the children home, complained to the school administration that the girls had been molested and raped by the accused. It was claimed that the girls had confided the incident to the child welfare officer in the Children Home.

Special judge Surekha Patil in her order said that of the total fine amount, Rs 20,000 be paid each to both the victims as compensation. However, the judge also noted that since the compensation amount awarded to the victims was not adequate for their rehabilitation, the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) was directed to pay adequate compensation to each victim.

On receipt of the complaint, the school verified the account with the girls. The man, who used to serve the students, had allegedly raped them in the school washroom in separate instances. The girls, however, were unable to recall the specific date of the incident.

It was contended that the girls were first sent for medical examination to JJ hospital which ruled out the sexual assault. However, with the permission of the court, they were referred to another hospital which confirmed that the two were sexually assaulted.

On the basis of the medical evidence and the girls’ statements, the court convicted him.

Image used for representational

H/T: Hindustan Times