Mumbai: A special court in Mumbai sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping his 15-year-old niece multiple times and impregnating her.
The court said his act had cast a "lifelong psychological and emotional impact" on the child.
The 45-year-old man was sentenced for rape by JP Darekar, special judge for cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and also directed to pay compensation of Rs 6,000.
In the order of December 19, judge Darekar said, "The act committed by the accused has cast a lifelong psychological and emotional impact on the child." The victim was 15 years old at the time and the incident has "caused adverse impact" on her "mind and soul", the order stated.
While asking the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Mumbai, to give the victim compensation under the Manodhairya scheme, the court asserted that no compensation can be adequate nor can it be of any respite for the victim.
"The humiliation or the reputation, that is, snuffed out cannot be re-compensated. But then, money compensation will at least provide some solace. Hence, she needs to be granted compensation," the court added.
As per the prosecution complaint lodged in December 2021, the families of the victim and the accused lived in the same house.
In July 2020, the accused sexually assaulted the victim after finding her alone and also threatened her against narrating the ordeal to anyone. Till November that year, he committed the act 16-17 times, as per the complaint.
A sonography in January 2021 revealed that the girl was 11-month pregnant. She then confided in her mother, who got a case registered at Sewri police station.
Twelve witnesses, including the victim, were examined during the course of the trial.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)