R'than court sentences man to life imprisonment till death for repeatedly raping minor girl

A court in Rajasthan's Baran district sentenced a 32-year-old man to life imprisonment till death for repeatedly raping a tribal minor girl in his village in 2017.

In the order pronounced on Wednesday, POCSO court judge Rakesh Katara also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Rameshwar Ahedi (32).

The victim turned hostile during the trial and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report in the case also came negative. However, in a rare instance, the judge pronounced his order on the basis of DNA reports of Ahedi, the victim, and her child, which matched, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Mahesh Tyagi said on Thursday.

The crime came to light after the family of the victim, who is 19 years old now, found out that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl on June 13, 2018, he said.

A police complaint was lodged by the girl's father and a case was registered under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on June 15, 2018, he said.

According to the SPP, Ahedi was arrested on June 20, 2018, but later granted bail by the Rajasthan High Court.

Statements of at least 16 witnesses were recorded in the case, Tyagi said.

The victim's newborn child was sent to a children's home in Nanta in Kota district, he said.