Uncles held for molesting minor

Mumbai: The JJ Marg police has arrested two men on charges of molestation after their minor niece told her teacher that they were touching her inappropriately. The victim, a Class 8 student, has been staying with her aunts after her mother passed away. She made the revelation on receiving counselling about the bad touch in school. The accused are husbands of the girl’s aunts.

The Fazlani Ayeshabai and Haji Abdul Latif Charitable Trust regularly conduct counselling sessions at a few municipal schools under the jurisdiction of JJ Marg police station.

As per the complaint, on February 5, at around 9.30 am when a member of the trust was conducting a counselling session for Class 8 children, the girl spoke about her ordeal.

The student said that as her father had married again after her mother’s death, she has been living with her aunt in Bhendi Bazaar since January 2017.

She further said that when she used to be alone at home, her aunt’s husband molested her. She also claimed that another aunt’s husband used to visit their house on some pretext and touch her inappropriately.

The counsellor told this to the principal, who lodged a complaint with the JJ Marg police the next day. The police arrested both the accused (names withheld to protect the identity of the victim).

The police produced the accused before a special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court on Thursday and sought their remand for further investigation.

Advocate R.U. Jha, on behalf of the accused, opposed the remand application and argued that the accused have been falsely implicated in the case due to discord between family members.

Advocate Jha requested the court to remand them in judicial custody, saying their custodial interrogation was not needed. However, the judge remanded both the accused in police custody till February 11.

The police has invoked sections 354 (A) and 34 of Indian Penal Code and sections 8, 10 and 13 of the POCSO Act.