Mohammad Mustaqin Khan was a man on a mission to ensure that an 18-month-old baby he had seen only once got justice, even when it meant ensuring his son would go to jail. And he finally got the baby girl justice on Monday, when a sessions court sentenced 26-year-old Mohammad Moin Khan to 10 years in jail.
Mustaqin, a Dharavi-based real estate agent, was shocked on the morning of January 4, 2006, when he discovered that his son Moin had raped the baby girl. Moin had in fact carried his victim to their home, where Mustaqin found them. Realising his son had committed a brutal crime, Mustaqin immediately called the police.
By the time the cops arrived, Moin had fled the scene. The victim, the daughter of a daily wage-earner, was taken for medical examination by the police. Meanwhile, Mustaqin took a police team to all the places where his son hung out and got him arrested.
Moin was taken into custody but released a few days later on bail since his trial was pending. This time he did not go home and decided to flee. The police declared him an absconder and hoped to arrest him soon for trial.
Three months later, some time in April 2006, Mustaqin returned home and saw that Moin was back, taking a shower in the house. Mustaqin did not hesitate in calling the police, who sent the accused to Arthur Road Jail and kept there while his trial was pending.
But the last chapter of the story was still to be played out. By the time the case came up before judge Swapna Joshi, the victim and her family had gone underground. The police could not trace them and it appeared as though Moin may go scot free. But Mustaqin gave a long testimony to public prosecutor Usha Makasare and told her what he had seen on the day of the incident. Mustaqin’s word and medical evidence convinced judge Joshi that Moin was the culprit. Testimony of the neighbours, who said that they had seen Moin with the victim, also clinched the case. He was finally sentenced to 10 years in jail.
The Times of India 1st April 2008 Delhi P. 16
With thanks from The Time of India
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