Mumbai: Sari salesman convicted for molesting girl in dress trial

MUMBAI: Observing that a mother will not put her daughter’s chastity at stake for a measly discount, a special POCSO court this week convicted and sentenced a 23-year-old salesman to three years rigorous imprisonment for twice molesting a 17-year-old girl during trials at the saree store where he was employed.
The accused had sexually abused the minor while draping sarees on her.
Special judge Anis AJ Khan refuted accused Datta Salunkhe’s defence that the child’s mother had falsely implicated him after he turned down her request for a discount.
The court said the minor survivor’s deposition was trustworthy. “There is no evidence on record to show that she was tutored. Deposition of victim has thus to be taken as whole. It is direct evidence...her sole testimony is reliable and sufficient to establish the guilt of accused beyond reasonable doubt,” the special judge said. The accused was on bail and taken into custody soon after the verdict was pronounced.
Among the prosecution witnesses were the minor, her mother and investigating officer. The minor told the court that on December 10, 2016 at about 6 pm, she visited the Vikhroli cloth store with her mother. She said she selected two sarees and requested the accused to drape them on her. The minor said while draping the first saree, the accused touched her inappropriately. She said that she did not complain, assuming he might have touched her by mistake.
The minor submitted that while she was trying on another saree, the accused again touched her. She said she realised he had molested her but did not immediately disclose it to her mother. However, as soon as she left the store after the purchase, she narrated the incident to her mother. The mother and daughter then went back to the store and informed the shop owner. The minor recalled that the shop owner apologized on behalf of the accused. Thereafter, they went back home and narrated the incident to her father. The family then went to the police station and lodged a complaint.
The accused claimed that there was no space in the shop, and hence a dress trial was impossible. The court, however, said perusal of the minor’s statement recorded both during investigation and trial would show she had consistently said that the accused had outraged her modesty not once but twice. “I hold that evidence of victim is reliable trustworthy,” the court said.