Stepfather molests minor for four years near Mumbai, arrested

Mumbai city news: The incident came to light when the girl’s teacher at school questioned her mother about her poor academic performance.

A 40-year-old man was arrested in Dombivli for molesting his 12-year-old stepdaughter for four years.

The 40-year-old man works at a private firm in Mumbai. He was produced in court and was remanded in police custody till June 23. (HT)

The incident came to light when the girl’s teacher at school questioned her mother about her poor academic performance. The mother asked the girl about it and she narrated her ordeal. A complaint was filed at Vishnunagr police station immediately and the stepfather was arrested.

The 40-year-old man works at a private firm in Mumbai. He was produced in court and was remanded in police custody till June 23.

According to the complaint, he had been molesting the girl since 2013 whenever she would be alone at home. He would touch her inappropriately.

The girl is in class 3 and was threatened with dire consequences if she revealed anything to anyone. The mental pressure took a toll on her studies and she would not be able to concentrate at school. “The girl was so scared that she did not even tell her mother about it as he used to beat her. Her performance at school deteriorated over the years and made the teacher talk to her mother. She questioned her daughter and only then the incident came to light. Initially, he denied he had done anything but a complaint was lodged on Tuesday” said an officer from Vishnunagar police station.

He added, “His ex wife died a few years back, after which he married her sister, with whom he had a boy. The girl’s mother had also divorced her first husband. He was arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and The Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO)”.