Thane: Man Sentenced to 20 Years Imprisonment for 2021 Rape of Minor

In a landmark judgment, 23-year-old Mahesh Sakharam Kamble from Gholainagar, Kalwa, has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in August 2021, marking one of the swiftest prosecutions in Thane district for crimes against minors under the POCSO Act.

The Special POCSO Court in Thane, presided over by Judge D.S. Deshmukh, found the accused guilty under sections 376 and 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code, along with sections 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In addition to the prison term, the court also imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000 on Kamble, with a provision for an additional six months of simple imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

The case was registered at Kalwa Police Station as Crime No. 276/2021. The investigation was led by Police Inspector (Crime) Sudesh Ajgaonkar and his team, who collected substantial evidence against the accused and filed a strong charge sheet in court.

Government Prosecutor Rekha Hiwarale represented the state's case, with significant contributions from the investigating team including Senior Police Inspector Ashok Uttekar, Sub-Inspector R.S. Thakur, and police constables Patankar, Varhade, and Shinde. Their meticulous work in gathering and presenting solid evidence was instrumental in securing the conviction.