A school-going girl, Mariam Coelho, has got justice three years after she was raped by her own elder brother and uncle.
Day before his retirement, Judge Keny orders RI for kin who raped 14-yr-old school girl
A school-going girl, Mariam Coelho, has got justice three years after she was raped by her own elder brother and uncle. A day before his retirement, Additional Sessions Judge MS Keny sentenced the rapists to rigorous imprisonment for four years and six months and a fine of Rs2, 500 each.
After losing her parents in 1996, Mariam returned from a boarding school to live with her maternal grandmother, in Mulund, and joined a school run by nuns.
A year later, her brother Vince, a well-known goonda, and her uncle Owen, a sweeper from Bhandup, came to live with them. Sachin, another relative, also joined them in 2002.
In June 2005, Vince molested Mariam a day after he was released from jail. However, the dreadful incident happened on July 8, 2005. “Owen woke me, assaulted and dragged me up the stairs. He then undressed me and raped me. Vince, my own brother, followed suit. They threatened to kill us all if I reported the incident,” Mariam deposed before the court. Sachin, the relative who were staying with them, corroborates the testimony.
“Mariam’s shouting woke me up at around 4 am. Grandmother and I rushed to the stairs. Mariam was in tatters and was crying. Vince and Owen threatened us with a knife. We were scared,” said Sachin.
Neighbour Leena Benny Dias, found a distraught Mariam at her door at an unearthly hour. Vince traced her and even beat up Leena and family for giving Mariam succour. He also threatened to kill any one who helped her.
In the morning, they approached social worker, Prakash Chavan, who guided them to make a police complaint. Medical evidence corroborated all the witnesses. The defence tried to insinuate that Mariam was lying because the family had opposed her love affair with Vishal Dhotre.
The charge could not be proved. “Mariam’s unbearable pain and grief was palpable throughout her testimony,” said Kasare on the quantum of punishment.
“Both Owen and Vince were entirely unremorseful,” Mariam told the court. Mariam, 17, now, continues to live with her grandmother.
(Names have been changed to protect identity)
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