Suspended judge gets 3 years for abusing minor

Nagraj Shinde

Pune: "Don't worry mother, within six months I will be out," said a 30-year-old suspended judicial magistrate (First class) to his mother when the Pune district court yesterday held him guilty in a sexual abuse and molestation case, and sentenced him to three years' rigorous imprisonment. The case was filed by his neighbour in 2014.

Special Sessions Judge Mangala Dhote found Nagraj Shinde guilty of offences punishable under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). He was also fined Rs 10,000. Shinde has two daughters. He was suspended in 2013 for misconduct when he was posted as the judicial magistrate (First Class) in Khandala court in Satara district.

The prosecution's case was that the survivor, Shinde's neighbour, stayed with her parents and elder sister and brother. The incident was registered with Bharti Vidyapeeth police station on July, 30 2014. At the time, Shinde's wife had gone to her parents' house for the delivery of her second child.

Shinde assured the girl that he would enroll her into a good coaching class and sexually assaulted her before threatening her with dire consequences, if she disclosed the matter. The CCTV footage in the society the day she was seen entering Shinde's house, turned to be the crucial evidence in securing his conviction.

Special Public Prosecutor Pratap Pardeshi examined 11 prosecution witnesses. He said, "The accused, Shinde, is in the field of law and an educated man. His act is also an offence against society." Shinde himself pleaded his case and examined nine other witnesses.

The minor's father said, "We will be appealing in the High Court as we were expecting life. The accused Shinde has two daughters, despite this he did the heinous offence. He knows the law well and played with my daughter's emotions and ours."