Mumbai man in custody for sexually assaulting minor

Mumbai, Sep 27 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a 53-year-old man has been arrested for the alleged sexual assault of an eight-year-old minor girl living in a same building in Mumbai's Jogeshwari suburbs, police sources said here on Wednesday.

The accused, said to be closely acquainted with the victim’s family, was arrested on Sunday after a complaint registered by the girl’s mother.

A working woman, the mother used to drop her minor daughter under the care of her neighbour when she left for office as there was nobody at her home.

The man, who has a wife and two grown-up children, allegedly took advantage of the situation and sexually assaulted the minor girl at his home.

Few days ago, the girl narrated the incident to her mother on how the accused had sexually assaulted her for several days, between September 7-14.

Stunned by the girl’s revelations, the woman immediately lodged a police complaint and the police moved swiftly in the matter.

The police registered a FIR and have arrested the accused man under various sections of Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act.

He was produced before a Special POCSO Court in Dindoshi Sessions Court on Tuesday and has been remanded to police custody even as further investigations are on.

The minor girl has been taken to a government hospital for a thorough medical examination and treatment, while the accused also underwent a medical checkup to determine his mental and physical condition.