During the bail hearing for one of the defendants, the prosecution argued that he exploited the victim’s mental incapacity to engage in non-consensual sexual acts with her.
MUMBAI: A special court has sentenced five individuals to 20 years in prison for the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl with an intellectual disability, an incident that occurred in October 2016 in Dindoshi.
The ruling was delivered by Special Judge MH Pathan on Friday, although the comprehensive order has yet to be released.
The events transpired on October 21, 2016, when the minor girl, who lived in Malad, accompanied her maternal aunt to recharge her mobile phone. When she failed to return home and was reported missing, her mother filed a complaint with the Dindoshi police. She was located on October 25, wandering aimlessly on a beach by a woman named Shraddha.
The 16-year-old informed the police that the accused had taken her to the beach in a rickshaw, where they sexually assaulted her. They also threatened her to stay on the beach and wait for their return.
According to the prosecution, the girl was found to be 11 weeks pregnant, a condition that was subsequently terminated. DNA tests confirmed that the accused had assaulted her multiple times.
The court found all five defendants guilty under Section 376-D of the Indian Penal Code. However, it noted that the accused are entitled to a set-off for the time they have already spent in custody during the investigation. Additionally, the court ordered each of them to pay a fine of ₹5,000.
