Stepfather denies charges, says implicated by victim

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19

Suresh Prasad, who was arrested on Friday night for sexually abusing his 15-year-old stepdaughter, has denied the allegations. Prasad, who had left his first wife for not being able to bear a child, says he was falsely implicated by the victim as he would stop her from going out of the house.

The accused, a resident of Kajheri, works as a mason and was allegedly abusing the victim for the past four years. He has been charged with Section 376, IPC, and Sections 4, 6 and 8, POSCO Act. He was sent to judicial custody today.

While speaking to Chandigarh Tribune, he said: “I have not committed any wrong act with her. I just asked her to not go out of the house for her own safety”. The matter came to light after the Childline NGO got a call from the counsellor of her school in this regard.

However, Dr Sangeeta of the NGO said: “The victim had told the counsellor about the matter earlier also, who, in turn, contacted her mother. However, her mother did not agree that it was possible and did not allow her to contact the police”.

She said: “The victim again approached the counsellor without her mother and the counsellor then informed us”.

Both accused as well as his present wife have been married twice. While the accused left his first wife, the husband of his present wife had passed away earlier. The couple now have a son together, while the victim is the daughter of the accused’s present wife with her first husband.