Kota: A POSCO court in Jhalawar, on Saturday, sentenced a 33-year-old man to life in prison for repeatedly raping the 13-year-old daughter of his deceased live-in-partner. The victim was five years old when her mother moved in with Prathap Singh Sondhya. Five years later, the victim's mother allegedly died by suicide and she was left alone with Sondhya. 

At some point after the mother's death, Sondhya, the minor alleged, started to repeatedly rape her and continued to do so until she fled to her maternal grandmother's house. It was the grandmother who decided to lodge a police complaint against Sondhya in December 2022. 

Based on the complaint, the police lodged a case of rape against Sondhya under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and SC/ST Act.

Sondhya was subsequently arrested and has been in jail since December 13, 2022.    

The POCSO court on Saturday held Sondhya guilty of repeated rape and sexual exploitation of the 13-year-old girl based on the statements of 15 witnesses and relevant documents, the prosecutor said. 

With inputs from PTI.