Thane court sentences man to 20 years rigorous imprisonment for raping minor on promise of marriage

Thane A special court in Maharashtra's Thane district has sentenced a 35-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly raping a minor girl after promising to marry her. https://www.thehindu.com/tag/624-623-600/ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/ https://www.thehindu.com/tag/616-608-600/ Additional Sessions Judge Premal S.

Vithalani convicted the accused, Shrinivas Ashok Yelgonda, a painter, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, noting that while the absence of violence and premeditation was a mitigating factor, the law mandated a minimum 20-year term. According to the prosecution, the victim resided in the same housing society in Diva East as the accused, and the two became acquainted in June 2020 and subsequently developed a romantic relationship through phone chats.