HIV-positive man gets 25 years for raping stepdaughter

An Indian pedestrian speaks on the phone as she walks past an AIDS awareness ad in this file photo. An HIV-positive man in New Delhi has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for raping his stepdaughter. Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP

The convict, Sabhajeet Maurya, was also fined Rs.6,000 on three separate charges.

The court sentenced Maurya to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for raping the minor. He was awarded another 10 years for attempt to murder and another five years for causing a miscarriage without the girl’s consent. The court ordered that all the sentences shall run consecutively.

The court also directed the Delhi government to grant Rs.2 lakh compensation to the victim.

After the death of his wife in January 2011, Maurya repeatedly raped his 14-year-old step-daughter. The court observed that Maurya, despite knowing that he is HIV-positive and has tuberculosis, indulged in unprotected sex with the minor.

“There can be no leniency for a person who knowingly does an act so negligent or reckless or even deliberate so as to endanger the life of another by concealing his own STD/STI (sexually transmitted disease/sexually transmitted infections) status and indulges into unprotected sex with such other, that he shall be not be spared,” the court said.

The court expressed grave concern about such cases of rape or sexual assault where the offender is aware of his STD status while committing the offence.

The court observed that the convict did not stop at sexually assaulting his daughter but also endangered her life by transmitting his disease to her by indulging in unprotected sex.

He also forcibly administered pills to the victim that led to her abortion.

IANS 2012-09-14 20:41:58