Pune Court Sentences Man to Five Years in Jail for Obscene Act with Mentally Challenged Girl

Pune, 6th May 2025: A special court in Pune has sentenced a 28-year-old man to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2,000 for committing an obscene act with a mentally challenged girl. The sentence was delivered by Special Judge D. K. Anubhule, who also ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional one-month imprisonment.

The convict has been identified as Deepak Sudhir Mandal, a native of Assam. The incident occurred on October 7, 2021, when the victim, a mentally challenged girl, was sitting outside her house. Mandal approached her and performed an obscene act, causing the girl to panic and run indoors. She later communicated the incident to her mother through gestures, as she cannot speak.

Upon learning what had happened, the girl’s parents confronted Mandal. He attempted to flee but was caught by the victim’s father and handed over to the police. A complaint was then lodged at the Lonavala Police Station by the girl’s mother.

The case was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor Premkumar Agarwal, who presented five witnesses to support the prosecution’s case. Sub-Inspector S. A. Shinde led the investigation and filed the charge sheet, while Constable S. A. Mane assisted with the court proceedings.

In court, the girl identified the accused using gestures. Overcome with emotion, she broke into tears upon seeing him. Her statement was recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, taking into account her special communication needs. The court accepted the testimony and evidence, including her identification of the accused through gestures, and found Mandal guilty.

Considering the sensitivity of the case and the condition of the victim, the court treated the matter with utmost seriousness and handed down a stringent sentence.