Thane: A special POCSO court in Thane has sentenced a 21-year-old man to imprisonment for five years for sexually harassing and threatening a teenage girl after befriending her on social media while posing as a female.

Special Judge Ruby U Malvankar, who pronounced the verdict, also directed the convict Prathamesh Pravin Jadhav, a dog trainer, to pay Rs 2.3 lakh to the complainant as compensation.

Special Public Prosecutor Yogendra Patil told the court that Jadhav posed as a female on social media to make friendship with the girl in March 2024. He then threatened to make her morphed pictures viral on social media and forced her to send him her private photos and videos.

The prosecution examined nine witnesses, including the teenager, her parents, forensic experts, and the nodal officer of a telecom company, to prove the charges against Jadhav.

Judge Malvankar said Jadhav took advantage of the “inexperienced youth of the child victim” and stalked her day and night on social media, “compelling her to dance to his tune and satisfy his desire”.

Not only the girl but her entire family suffered tremendous trauma, the court said.

“The act committed by the accused is therefore required to be viewed and dealt with a heavy hand to spread proper message to like-minded persons in the society,” it said.

The court convicted Jadhav under the Indian Penal Code, POCSO Act, and the Information Technology Act and handed him a five-year jail term besides directing him to pay Rs 2.3 lakh compensation to the teenager.

It also recommended that the case be forwarded to the District Legal Services Authority for assistance under the state government’s Manodhairya Scheme.