Mumbai: The Shivaji Nagar police in Govandi have arrested a 62- year-old man for allegedly raping his 16-year-old stepdaughter. The victim was drugged and raped, following which she became pregnant. The suspect had earlier served a 19-year jail term for murdering a relative, the police said on Saturday.
Accused married victim's mother and convinced her to let daughter live with him
The man married the victim’s mother, but she left him to marry another man after noticing his ‘problematic’ behavior. Senior Police Inspector Arjun Rajane from Shivaji Nagar police station said that the woman visited him seven months ago in Govandi. He convinced her to let her daughter live with him and she agreed thinking he had changed his ways. Later, she felt something was wrong when she noticed her daughter behaving differently.
Mr Rajane said that for the duration the victim lived with her stepfather, March to June this year, she was allegedly administered a narcotic substance before being raped.
Victim's mother alerted police after knowing truth
After finding out the truth, her mother alerted the Mumbra police on Wednesday. Later, the case was transferred to Shivaji Nagar police. She also found out that her daughter was pregnant but it was late to have a safe abortion.
Mr Rajane said a DNA test would be conducted to ascertain if the suspect is the father. “As of now, he is in police custody as per the court’s order, and we are conducting a medical examination of the victim. Other tests, evidence collection and forensics examination will be conducted prior to the submission of the charge sheet,” he said.
Case registered under IPC and POCSO sections
A case has been registered against the 62-year-old accused under sections 376 (punishment for rape), 376 (2) (n) (committing rape repeated on the same woman), 376 (2) (f) (being a relative, guardian or teacher of, or a person in a position of trust or authority towards the woman, commits rape on such woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), and, 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offense) of the Indian Penal Code. The charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act include 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault), 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault), 10 (aggravated sexual assault), and 12 (sexual harassment).
