Man gets 20 yrs in jail for repeatedly raping minor stepdaughter

Haridwar: A fast-track special court in Haridwar sentenced a man to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly raping his minor stepdaughter and threatening to kill her. Additional district judge Chandramani Rai also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on the convict.Govt counsel Bhupendra Singh Chauhan said the case came to light in 2023 when the survivor approached police with an audio recording to support her allegations, as her mother did not believe her. A case was registered under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 511, and relevant provisions of the Pocso Act.Investigation officer Sonal Rawat told TOI that in her statement, the survivor — who was 19 at the time of filing the complaint — said she was first raped at the age of 11 and was sexually assaulted repeatedly thereafter. She also submitted a recorded phone call in which the accused allegedly demanded sexual favours. The forensic science laboratory report confirmed a match with the accused's voice sample, which became crucial evidence in the case, as the survivor's mother and sister deposed in favour of the accused during trial.Six prosecution witnesses were examined, and the court found the accused, a tailor by profession, guilty.The trial court also ordered the state govt to provide Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the survivor within one month, considering the economic, social and mental trauma suffered by her.