Six prosecution witnesses, including the victim, her sister and chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), were examined to prove the case beyond doubt, said additional public prosecutor RW Pande
Representational Pic/File
A 44-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in jail by a court in Thane district of Maharashtra for raping his teen stepdaughter, reported the PTI.
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Thane Additional Sessions Judge GG Bhansali also fined him Rs 15,000, which the court said must be paid to the victim.
The accused, a Mira Road-based painter, raped his 14-year-old stepdaughter in December 2014, said additional public prosecutor RW Pande.
Six prosecution witnesses, including the victim, her sister and chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), were examined to prove the case beyond doubt, Pande said, according to the PTI.
In his order, the judge said, "The requirement in a criminal case of proof 'beyond reasonable doubt' to support a conviction does not mean proof beyond all possible doubts. The victim of rape is not an accomplice, and her evidence can be acted upon without corroboration."
"She stands at a higher pedestal than an injured witness. If the evidence is reliable and inspires confidence, the conviction can be based on the sole testimony of the prosecutrix," the judge further said in the order, the news agency reported on Monday.
Man held for raping teenage girl in Goa
Meanwhile, in an another incident, a man has been arrested from Colva village in south Goa for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl multiple times, the police said on Sunday, reported the PTI.
The accused was identified as Devaraju Kaki who is originally from Telangana.
The police said that the suspect was arrested on Saturday after thorough investigations in the matter.
He was arrested under relevant sections of the Goa Children's Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, after a teacher of the victim lodged a complaint with police, an official said.
The accused allegedly raped the girl on several occasions in the absence of her parents, the police stated.
The Police did not elaborate on details including the place of the crime, the age of the accused, and the circumstances surrounding the sexual crime.
The suspect was produced before court following his arrest and was later remanded the accused in police custody for five days.
(with PTI inputs)
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