Maharashtra: Two convicted in separate POCSO cases
Two persons were convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in separate cases by a Palghar court.
Additional Sessions Judge AR Rahane sentenced Devkant Paswan, a manager in a corporate firm, to three years in jail under section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and section 8 (sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. He was also fined Rs 25,000.
As per the prosecution, on April 27, 2017, he molested a 13-year-old girl in a building lift, dragged her into his flat and asked her to strip.
In the second case, office help Hasmukh Rathod (45) was sentenced to three days of simple imprisonment, covering his pre-trial detention, for stalking and sexually harassing a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
Judge Rahane convicted him under section 354D (stalking) of the IPC and section 12 (sexual harassment) of the POCSO Act. Rathod was also fined Rs 20,000.
