Indore Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Raping Stepdaughter, Pressuring Her to Convert

A special court in Indore sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter. He was also given a five-year term for pressuring her to convert. The court imposed a fine and ordered compensation for the survivor, emphasizing that leniency would harm societal trust.

A special court in Indore has sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping his then 13-year-old stepdaughter, a prosecution official stated on Monday.

The court also imposed a five-year jail term on the man for pressuring the girl to convert her religion.

Special Judge Surekha Mishra found the 26-year-old stepfather guilty under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act.

Besides the 20-year rigorous imprisonment, a fine of Rs 59,000 was also levied, and a compensation of Rs 1 lakh was ordered to be paid to the survivor from the state exchequer.

Judge Mishra emphasized that leniency in such heinous acts would undermine societal trust in relationships.

The prosecution revealed that the crime took place on December 6, 2022, and that the stepfather had also been pressuring the minor to change her religion.

Special Public Prosecutor Sushila Rathore presented seven witnesses to substantiate the charges.

A minor boy, around 15 years old, had also allegedly raped the girl, and both accused had threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident. The case against the minor boy is pending in a juvenile court.