Man sentenced to RI for life or drugging and raping stepdaughter

Hyderabad:  A man was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life by a court on Friday for drugging and raping his stepdaughter, who gave birth to a boy when she was 14.

The sentence means that the convict, Mohammed Khaleel will remain imprisoned for the remainder of his natural life with no scope for parole. The judge also sentenced him to pay a fine of Rs 26,000. 

Kanchanbagh police said that for three years Khaleel,  an autorickshaw driver, used to sedate the victim and sexually assault her. He used to silence her with threats to kill. When her mother came to know about the pregnancy she tried for an abortion for the victim. This was not possible and the child gave birth to a boy.

The mother, too, told the girl to keep quiet about the rape, and told others in the locality that the minor was married to someone from the Gulf and had given birth to the baby.

Police said that after giving birth, the assault apparently continued and the victim became pregnant twice. The accused reportedly gave her pills for abortion. “Finally the victim told her brother, who lodged a complaint.” a Kanchanbagh police official said. Khaleel was arrested in 2019.

Following a trial, the special judge for POCSO cases-cum-First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge at Nampally sentenced Khaleel and convicted him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life. 

Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar appreciated the work of South Zone Additional DCP Syed Rafeeq, Santoshnagar ACP S.V.N. Shivarama Sharma and the investigation team in securing the conviction through diligent investigation, and felicitated them by presenting mementos.