Kota: Man gets life sentence for raping minor girl

A POCSO court in Rajasthan's Kota city has sentenced a 30-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping a minor girl in 2013, while acquitting his brother in the case due to lack of evidence.

In the order pronounced on Wednesday, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court judge Narendra Kumar Sharma also slapped Umesh Mehara, a resident of Kota's Thegda area, with a fine of Rs 35,000.

Umesh's brother, Akash, accused of eve-teasing and beating the victim, was acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence.

Umesh and Akash were neighbours of the victim, special public prosecutor Vijay Kachawah said.

In October 2013, the victim's uncle lodged an FIR at Udhyog Nagar police station alleging that Umesh and Akash eve-teased and beat the minor girl, he said.

The victim, while recording her statement before the magistrate, alleged that Umesh had raped her around nine months ago, he added.

Statements of at least 15 witnesses were recorded during the trial, Kachawah said.