A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court on Monday convicted two brothers arrested in 2015 for sexually assaulting their minor sisters. While the younger one (21) was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for raping the 16-year-old victim, the older brother (23), has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 12-year-old sister. Their mother (42) too was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail for brutally abusing the victims and inflicting burn injuries when they tried to confide in her.
The matter came to light after the older of the two victims confided in a neighbour about the repeated assaults. Special public prosecutor Usha Jadhav said that the confident testimony of both victims helped nail the accused. In her deposition before the court, the 16-year-old victim said that she had nine siblings. She further stated that three of her sisters were married and she never confided in them. The victim said that some members of the family used to sleep on the mezzanine floor of the house. She told the court that during one such night in 2011 her brother tried to rape her and when she pushed him, he fled. She further said that the next day she confided in one of her other brothers who beat up the accused. The victim said that the brother who saved her, however, died three months later. She said after his death the accused began to rape her.
