Man convicted for raping, killing minor

Three witnesses, including driver of a rickshaw hired by the accused, deposed that they had seen the man and the victim together.

A special sessions court Saturday convicted a man for raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl in suburban Nehru Nagar, Kurla, in 2010. Javed Shaikh (23) was convicted under Sections 302 (murder), 363 (kidnapping) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code.

Three minor girls were raped and murdered in Nehru Nagar area since February 2010.

The body of a five-year-old was found in a drain on February 9, 2010 while an eight-year-old was found murdered on the terrace of a building in police quarters on March 9, 2010.

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A nine-year-old girl was found murdered in a dilapidated building on June 19, for which Shaikh – a technician with a cable operator – was arrested on July 1, 2010.

While special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat examined 26 witnesses in the case, the defence lawyer examined four.

According to Gharat, the crucial evidence was that hair found on the victim’s nail matched DNA samples of the accused.

Three witnesses, including driver of a rickshaw hired by the accused, deposed that they had seen the man and the victim together. The rickshaw driver deposed that he was hired by the duo to take them to a shanty in Nehru Nagar.

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The hutment was where Shaikh allegedly raped and murdered the victim.

The defence lawyer examined witnesses from Shaikh’s workplace. Claiming false implication in the case, the defence lawyer contended that Shaikh was working when the crime was allegedly committed.

The lawyer also submitted that the police, under pressure to solve the crimes, had made Shaikh a scapegoat.

The public prosecutor has sought death penalty for Shaikh. The court will hear arguments on the quantum of punishment on Tuesday.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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