Overview
- On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, a Thane POCSO court acquitted a 32-year-old dentist while a Mumbai special POCSO court convicted a former school peon, and police arrested an absconding ashram head priest.
- In Thane, Special Judge Premal Vithalani said there was "absolutely no evidence" linking the dentist to an alleged December 25, 2023 assault after the 15-year-old survivor and her mother turned hostile and denied the earlier complaint.
- In Mumbai, Judge S V Sahare sentenced 35-year-old Winsion John D’souza to 20 years in prison after the court found the 2022 survivor’s testimony credible and consistent with medical reports and chat records from the girl’s phone.
- Chandur Railway Police in Amravati arrested Dattagiri Guru Jairamji Maharaj, the Anand Math head priest, on POCSO and rape-related charges and produced him before a court that remanded him to judicial custody as investigations continue.
- These outcomes show how POCSO cases hinge on witness support and evidence collection, which can change victims’ lives by producing either conviction and long sentences or acquittal when testimony or corroboration breaks down; readers should watch for further police findings and any moves to strengthen forensic and digital evidence gathering in such cases.