mumbai

Updated: Jan 18, 2020 23:34 IST

A court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Saturday sentenced two men to 20 years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting and raping a 13-year-old girl in 2015. The accused, who work as tourist guides, had found the minor roaming on the streets, according to the police. The accused have been asked to pay a fine of ₹25,000 collectively, which will be given to the survivor.

According to the case registered with Colaba police station, the survivor lived with her mother on the footpath in front of National Gallery of Modern Art. The two accused, Saibaj Shaukh and Irshad Shaikh, who reside in the same locality, took her to a public toilet and took turns to rape her on March 21, 2015.

In her statement, the survivor claimed that she was threatened by a woman, who was engaged in prostitution, which led her to leave her usual area that day. The two accused then told the minor that the woman was looking for her and offered to protect her and took her to the Flora Fountain area. The girl claimed the two accused then took her to a public toilet at midnight and raped her.

As per the complaint, the two accused later dropped the girl near Lion Gate. The girl then went to her mother and narrated the incident. Her mother later approached the Colaba police, following which a case was registered against the two.

The duo was arrested on March 22, 2015 and have been lodged in jail since.