A sessions court on Monday convicted a 60-year-old man and sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment for raping his 10-year-old step-granddaughter in December 2011. The court also imposed a fine of Rs.10,000 which would go to the victim as compensation.

As per the prosecution case, Hari Gani Ingle, a native of Buldhana in central Maharashtra, who worked as a painter, used to visit and stay with his son’s family in Mankhurd. Ingle’s son was married to the victim’s mother in a second marriage for both of them. The victim’s mother married Ingle’s son after her first husband divorced her when the victim was six months old.

According to the Trombay police, the girl was in Class 4 when the incident took place. In December 2011, the accused, under the influence of alcohol, allegedly forced himself on the girl when her parents were at work, and raped her. He threatened the girl not to disclose the incident to anyone. After a few days, he made a similar attempt but the girl ran away to her aunt’s place, which was nearby. 

On January 6, 2012, the girl complained of stomach ache to her mother. Medical examination confirmed sexual assault.

The mother filed a complaint with the Trombay police on January 8. However, during the trial, the mother turned hostile due to family pressure.

“Despite the fact that the complainant was declared hostile, the court believed other evidences. The victim disclosed all details before the court perfectly which was supported by medical evidence,” said public prosecutor Nilima Kasture. The accused had alleged his daughter-in-law had trapped him in a false case to grab his property, a contention the court rejected.