Rajasthan: Man gets 20 years in jail for rape despite survivor turning hostile

Kota, January 9

A POCSO court here on Tuesday sentenced a 25-year-old man to 20 years in jail for raping a minor despite the survivor and her family members turning hostile, an official said.

The court gave the verdict based on an FSL report that confirmed rape and the statements of 20 witnesses and 31 documents. It also imposed a fine of Rs 35,000 on the man, public prosecutor Dhirendra Choudhary said.

Around four years ago, when the girl was 16 years old, she was abducted and taken to Tonk district where the convict repeatedly raped her, Choudhary said.

Following a complaint by the survivor, police lodged a case of abduction and rape under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act and arrested the accused.

However, he was released on bail after the minor survivor and her family members turned hostile during the trial of the case, he said.

According to Choudhary, the convict had approached the girl’s family with a marriage proposal for one of her sisters but it did not materialise. He then abducted the minor and took her to Tonk, he said.