In Maharashtra's Thane district, a court has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to a 44-year-old man for the rape of his minor stepdaughter. The case was heard by Special Judge Dr. Rachna Tehra, who presides over cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additionally, a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed on the accused as part of the order issued on Monday.
Special Public Prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre told the court that the accused, resident of Mumbra area in Thane, committed the offence in 2020, when the victim was six years' old. When the child’s mother used to go out for work, the accused would also drive away the victim’s nine-year-old brother while threatening him. He would then repeatedly rape the stepdaughter. The accused also burnt the private and other body parts of the victim with candle and matchsticks, the prosecution said.
The judge accepted the prosecution theory and held the accused guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act-2015. The judge in her order observed that the prosecution has successfully proved all the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, for which he needs to be convicted and sentenced, Mhatre said.