Chandigarh: Man gets 20-year jail for raping stepdaughter

A man has been sentenced to 20-year imprisonment for raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter.

The court of special judge dealing with POCSO cases, Yashika, also imposed a fine of ₹51,000 on the convict. He was held guilty under Sections 6 of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act and Section 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code.

The court also ordered payment of ₹4 lakh compensation to the victim under the victim compensation scheme.

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While pronouncing the verdict, the court stated, “Children belonging to any strata of the society are certainly the future of the country and they are not only to be nourished but also required to be protected for the sake of the bright future of our country. When children are subjected to penetrative sexual assault, it not only creates fear and trauma in the mind of the victim child, but also among children around him or her. It is high time that such incidents need to be curbed to serve as a deterrent for the people of evil and criminal bent of mind and instil a sense of security in the mind of the children and their families.”

The court further said, “Children are blooming buds and they have every right to bloom into a flower and whosoever will make an attempt to pluck or cause any harm to them shall have to face the wrath of criminal justice. In the present case, the accused had shown his wicked mind by subjecting his stepdaughter, who was 11 years of age to penetrative sexual assault. He is liable to be punished sternly."

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The Chandigarh Police had registered a case against him on May 11, 2022, under the sections of keeping in captivity, rape, sodomy and POCSO Act. Charges were framed against him in August 2022.

As per the prosecution, the wife of the accused was the complainant. The complainant had said that the victim was born from her first marriage.

She told the police that when she used to go for her work, the accused used to lock the room and sexually abuse the girl and threaten her if she protested.

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The victim’s aunt, who had come to their house a few days ago, sensed the girl’s fear and informed her mother.

After this, the woman questioned her daughter, and she narrated the entire story. A complaint was immediately lodged with the police and the accused was arrested.