23 August,2019 06:33 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
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A court in Thane sentenced a man to 10 years in jail for raping his stepdaughter repeatedly. The court convicted the man on Thursday. He was charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The accused is a 37-year old and works as a labourer in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The accused is also an HIV patient.
Special Judge (POCSO) Kavita D Shirbhate also imposed a fine of Rs 4000 on him. On another note, the boyfriend of the rape survivor was also tried in the court and was charged for raping and kidnapping her. The victim told the court during the deposition that it was not her boyfriend but her stepfather who raped her repeatedly and at different places including her house.
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As per Assistant Public Prosecutor Vinit Kulkarni, the ordeal began in the year 2011 when the accused spiked a drink of the victim and raped her in his house. This continued for three years, till 2014. Kulkarni added that the girl had left her stepfather's house in between and lived on the footpath and was later shifted to a child correction home.
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He further mentioned that the convict asked her to file a false complaint against her boyfriend for raping and kidnapping her. The prosecution examined four witnesses during the trial, including the girl.
The judge in her ordeal noted, "This case is based on circumstantial evidence and evidence of the victim. The documents produced on record by the prosecution are sufficient to establish the chain of circumstances. The prosecution has proved that the victim was a minor at the time of the incident and properly explained the delay in lodging an FIR. Considering the facts and circumstances of the present case, I come to the conclusion that prosecution has proved its case beyond all reasonable doubts."
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(with inputs from PTI)
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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies
