A 45-year-old Indian-origin electrician working in Sydney has been sentenced to five years in prison for the brutal rape of a 75-year-old woman in her own home. The incident occurred in 2024 when the man, Amol Vijay Dhumal, was sent to the woman's residence to install solar panels.
The Horrific Assault in a Place of Trust
A jury found Amol Vijay Dhumal guilty of sexual intercourse without consent following a trial. According to court reports, the verdict was delivered in September 2024, with the sentence announced just last week. The crime unfolded over two separate visits to the elderly victim's home.
On April 22, 2024, Dhumal was part of a three-person subcontractor team sent to install solar panels at the woman's house. Upon completing the work, Dhumal inquired if the woman lived alone. After learning she did, he hugged her and attempted to kiss her, claiming she reminded him of his mother. The frightened woman asked him to leave.
Tragically, the ordeal did not end there. Dhumal returned two days later, claiming he needed to fix a power issue. During this visit, he asked the woman how often her children visited. He then made a shocking statement, telling her his wife never had sex with him. Immediately after this confession, he grabbed the 75-year-old and raped her in her bedroom, causing her physical injury.
A Life Shattered: The Victim's Agony
The profound impact of the attack was laid bare in the victim's powerful court statement. She described a life utterly destroyed, saying she was now "only existing and not living." The sense of safety in her own home was obliterated.
"I'm in prison in my own home," she told the court. The trauma forced her to withdraw from all volunteer activities she loved. She wrote that her home, once a source of security, peace, and good memories, had become a "horror tragic place to live."
Living in constant fear, she now bolts all windows and doors, haunted by the knowledge that "someone knows I live alone – and will just come in again and harm me." She condemned her attacker as "that very evil person who has a very evil mind, evil heart, an evil and filthy mouth."
Courtroom Drama and the Path to Justice
During the proceedings, Dhumal's wife, Gauri, appeared in court to support him at his sentencing. She stated she understood the jury's verdict but did not wish to discuss the case, telling the court, "My husband is loving and respectful."
In a shocking attempt to evade responsibility, Dhumal had earlier told authorities that the elderly victim fabricated the entire assault because he failed to answer a phone call from her. The court clearly rejected this claim, siding with the compelling evidence and testimony.
The case highlights a severe breach of trust, where a professional entering a home for work committed a violent act against a vulnerable, elderly client. The five-year prison sentence marks the end of the legal chapter, but for the victim, the journey toward healing from the horror inflicted in her own sanctuary continues.
