INDIA: PUNE POCSO COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO BHIMRAO KAMBLE IN 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL'S RAPE-MURDER CASE

July 2, 2026:

A Special Court in Pune district has sentenced Bhimrao Prabhakar Kamble, 65, to death for the rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur village of Bhor taluka.
Special Judge S.R. Salunke pronounced the sentence on June 29, 2026, days after finding Kamble guilty on June 25.
The incident occurred on May 1, 2026, in Nasrapur. The court convicted Kamble under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The charges included Sections 137(2), 65, 65 (rape), 103 (murder), 74 (using force with intent to outrage modesty), and 140(1) of the IPC, along with Sections 4, 6, 8, and 12 of the POCSO Act. The court held that the prosecution had established the charges against the accused.
The trial commenced on May 21 and concluded within two months of the crime, making it one of the fastest cases to be disposed of in the State’s judicial history. The court conducted daily hearings throughout this period. Given the sensitive nature of the proceedings, the court held the hearings in-camera.
The Pune Rural Police formed a special investigation team for the case. The team functioned under the supervision of Superintendent of Police Sandeepsingh Gill and comprised six officers and personnel. Senior Police Inspector Vijaymala Pawar led the investigation. The police filed a chargesheet of 1,200 pages within 15 days of the incident.
The chargesheet included statements of more than 55 witnesses, circumstantial evidence, and technical evidence.
Investigators relied on CCTV footage from the vicinity, medical examination reports, forensic analysis, and witness accounts during the probe.
The prosecution presented its case before the special court over several weeks. The defence argued against the charges, but the court found the evidence sufficient to convict Kamble.
After the conviction on June 25, the judge reserved the verdict on sentencing and pronounced the death penalty on June 29.
Court sources indicated that the judge considered the nature of the offence and the age of the victim while arriving at the sentence.
The case has drawn attention in the region due to the speed of the investigation and the trial. The police team collected evidence from multiple sources and coordinated with forensic experts to strengthen the chargesheet. The chargesheet also included technical evidence such as mobile phone location data and call records, according to investigation officials. The court accepted the prosecution’s submission that the evidence formed a complete chain of circumstances pointing to the accused.
The victim’s family was present in the court when the sentence was read. The defence has the option to appeal against the conviction and sentence in a higher court. Legal experts noted that the trial concluded in record time, reflecting the priority given to cases involving minors under the POCSO Act. The special court, established under the Act, handles such offences with expedited procedures. The judgment is expected to be reviewed by the Bombay High Court if the accused files an appeal. As of now, Kamble remains in judicial custody pending further legal proceedings.