A POCSO court in Baran convicted a man and gave him a life sentence for repeatedly raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter at his home.
The court of special judge Sonia Beniwal on Tuesday also slapped a penalty of Rs 2 lakh for the rape that also resulted in the minor’s pregnancy, according to Harinarayan Singh, public prosecutor at POCSO court-2, reports PTI.
The lawyer said that after the girl’s father died, her mother stayed in a live-in relationship with Kedar Singh. The victim, her mother and the latter’s brother also started living with Singh, he added.
In March 2022, the girl’s mother also died, following which her stepfather began raping her. After she discovered she was three months pregnant, she approached Chhabra police station on February 4, 2023 with support from her maternal uncle and aunt.
A case of rape was lodged against Kedar Singh under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.
He was arrested after initial investigation and has since then been under judicial custody.
On March 13 last year, police filed a chargesheet against the accused in POCSO court.
The DNA report that matched the foetus in the womb of the minor with the accused formed part of the documents that the court relied on. Statements of 15 witnesses were recorded and 28 documents were produced during the trial, the public prosecutor said.