39-year-old gets 10-year jail term for raping live-in partner’s minor daughter

Mumbai: A special POCSO (the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) court on Friday sentenced a 39-year-old man to ten years imprisonment for impregnating the minor daughter of his live-in-partner after sexually assaulting her under threats since 2016

Mumbai: A special POCSO (the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) court on Friday sentenced a 39-year-old man to ten years imprisonment for impregnating the minor daughter of his live-in-partner after sexually assaulting her under threats since 2016.

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The girl, who was 16 years old at the relevant time, in her deposition said that she resided in Shivaji Nagar with the family of her stepfather. She claimed that in 2016 when she was in 5th or 6th standard the accused sexually assaulted her and threatened not to reveal anything to anyone. Later, the family shifted to Vangani. She claimed that he also assaulted her on several occasions.

The mother in her complaint claimed that her husband had died due to prolonged illness and she was surviving by doing household work. She came in touch with the accused and they got into a live-in relationship.

The woman claimed that the accused had stopped working and would indulge in alcohol and drugs. She further claimed that she had seen him molesting her daughter and had warned him about that.

However, In July 2016, she came to know that her 16-year-old daughter was three months pregnant. The mother took her to a local doctor, where the victim first claimed that she was assaulted by a boy she was in a relationship with, because of the threats given by her stepfather. Accordingly, she lodged a case with the local police in Vangani.

The case was later transferred to Shivaji Nagar police station. The girl was referred to Nair Hospital. Later after being referred to the child welfare committee, the girl admitted that she was not assaulted by a boy but by her step-father. The girl underwent an abortion and the DNA report of the foetus matched with that of her stepfather.

Public prosecutor Veena Shelar relied on the DNA report, along with the testimony of nine witnesses, including the minor survivor, her mother and medical experts, to prove the case against the man.