Special Judge Ruby U Malvankar, hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on the 35-year-old accused
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A Thane court has sentenced a teacher to three years' rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting three minor girl students in 2019, saying such an act deserves to be condemned and to be "dealt with a heavy hand", reported news agency PTI.
Special Judge Ruby U Malvankar, hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on the 35-year-old accused, reported PTI.
A copy of the order dated October 31 was made available on Sunday.
The case was registered against the accused, a resident of Diva in Maharashtra's Thane district, following a complaint by the father of one of the victims, then aged 6 and studying in class 2, on November 22, 2019, reported PTI.
The complainant stated that on November 22, 2019, he saw the accused, a teacher at a private tuition classes centre, performing "obscene acts" with his daughter. Two other girls also made the same allegations against the accused, reported PTI.
The accused was found to have "committed sexual assault" on the three girls.
The judge rejected the defence's claims of professional rivalry and false implication.
The court said it does not find any inconsistency in the victim's testimony, and it "cannot be taken as tutoring".
"Taking into consideration the age of the victim at the relevant time, as she was too young, studying in the 2nd standard, it would be too much to expect such a small child to remember precisely what had happened with her and narrate the same before the court. However, she did narrate the major substance of the act allegedly committed by the accused, and therefore, on the whole, she cannot be stated to be a tutored witness," it said, reported PTI.
The court also said "there is absolutely no iota of evidence" of professional enmity.
The accused "exhibited a completely wrong approach unbecoming of a teacher and posed himself indecently with the young students coming to him for gaining knowledge and while doing so he did not think of the negative effects and repercussions of his own acts on the body, mind and psyche of the children," it observed, reported PTI.
"Such an act deserves to be condemned and once proved also deserves to be dealt with a heavy hand to send a proper message to like-minded persons in the society," the court said, reported PTI.
It directed that the fine amount of Rs 15,000 be paid to the three victims equally as compensation.
The case has been recommended to the District Legal Services Authority, Thane, for awarding further compensation to the victims under the Manodhairya Scheme, reported PTI.
Special Public Prosecutor Varsha R Chandane, presented six witnesses, including the three victims, to prove the case.
(With inputs from PTI)
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