Stepfather convicted in POCSO case of Abdullapurmet
LB Nagar: A Special Court dealing with POCSO cases of Ranga Reddy district has convicted a man for sexually assaulting his minor step daughter under Abdullapurmet police station limits of Rachakonda commissionerate. The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment. The case came to light through the vigilance of school authorities.
The case emerged when the victim, a 13-year-old school student, confided in her school's headmistress about the abuse. According to police, the victim joined the residential school in 2022 after losing her mother in 2021. The abuse came to light when the accused pressured school authorities to issue a transfer certificate for the victim.
The victim refused to return home and revealed that her stepfather had sexually assaulted her multiple times. She then confessed to the school's headmistress. Further, the victim confessed that she was abused twice, on October 14, 2023, during Dussehra holidays, and a year prior.
The Special Court, in its judgment, emphasized the significance of the case reported by the school headmistress. "Generally, no teacher will lodge a report against the parents of students, either natural or step-parents, unless there is a peculiar situation like this case," the court observed.
Counsel representing the accused contended that the case was fabricated due to a failed adoption attempt by a relative. The court noted, “There is no proper evidence before the court in this regard.”
School Headmistress plays crucial role in exposing child abuse
Further, the court noted that this case is based on a complaint from the school's headmistress, who was informed by the victim, not on a report from the victim's relatives. “Generally, no teacher will lodge a report against the parents of the students, either natural or stepparents, unless there is a peculiar situation like this case. There is no enmity between the school's headmistress and the accused to lodge a false report against the accused,” the court highlighted. The judgment noted the accused failed to rebut the presumption under Section 29 of the POCSO Act and prove any alleged animosity between himself and the witnesses.
The court found the stepfather guilty of offences under Sections 376(2)(f), 376(3), 506 of Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act(POCSO).
The Accused is sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment for Life and to pay a Rs.25,000 fine, with a one-year Simple Imprisonment in default of payment of fine amount, for offences under POCSO Act.
