Minor girl's rape and murder case: 13-year-old boy fined Rs 10k, told to do community service

Thane, Feb 16: A Juvenile Justice Board here in Maharashtra has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on a teenaged boy convicted in a case of rape and murder of his five-year-old cousin and also ordered him to do community service.

Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board (Bhiwandi), H Y Kawale pronounced the 13-year-old boy guilty on Thursday under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 364 (kidnapping in order to murder), and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The minor girl went missing from Saravali village in Bhiwandi town on October 28 last year, the police said. Her parents launched a search and the body was found the next day near a civic water pipeline close to the village.

Based on a complaint filed by the girl's parents, the accused boy, who is the victim's cousin, was taken into custody by police and booked under relevant provisions.

The police submitted a charge sheet before the juvenile court within 50 days, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bhiwandi Zone II) Rajkumar Shinde said.

The magistrate, in his order, observed that the crime was "heinous" and merely imposing the fine will not be enough. Hence, he ordered that the boy perform community service to understand his responsibility and duties towards society.