A Thane court has sentenced a 34-year-old married man, Sahid Mohammad Ramzan Hasmi, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old neighborhood girl in 2021. The assault led to her pregnancy. Additional Sessions Judge-3 DS Deshmukh termed the offence as “heinous” and denied leniency on the ground of the family status of the accused.
Incident Details
Hasmi, who lives in the Kashimira area of Thane, had in May 2021 offered to drop the victim home and later took her to his house, where he committed aggravated penetrative sexual assault under section 5 of the POCSO Act. He also threatened to kill her if she disclosed the offence, but the girl later confided in her family after she found out she was pregnant.
Court Decision and Fine
The court fined him Rs 50,000 in addition to the sentence, basing its judgment on the testimony of the victim, besides her mother’s statement and the DNA test that proved Hasmi guilty. Judge Deshmukh rejected the false implication defense put up by the accused and pointed out the seriousness of the offense committed against a minor.
Judicial Observations
The judge emphasized, while not being swayed by the fact that Hasmi was playing the role of a father, that stringent punishment was necessary as a deterrent against such crimes on the societal fabric. Special Public Prosecutor Sanjay Londge brought up the neighborhood betrayal angle during arguments.
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