Shillong: Meghalaya high court has upheld the 24-year rigorous imprisonment awarded to a man convicted of sexually assaulting his 10-year-old stepdaughter in South West Khasi Hills in 2016.The court observed that the accused had ‘breached the relationship of trust’ with his stepdaughter and taken undue advantage of her when her mother was away.The incident took place at the family’s residence on Sept 4, 2016. According to the prosecution, the survivor’s mother returned home to find her daughter unconscious. After regaining consciousness, the child told her mother about the assault, following which the matter was reported to police.An FIR was lodged on Sept 6, 2016, and the accused was arrested. The prosecution examined eight witnesses during the trial, including the survivor, her mother, medical personnel and the investigating officer.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh dismissed the man’s appeal against his conviction. The judgment was pronounced on Oct 29. The bench found no grounds to interfere with the May 6, 2021, order of the Special Judge (Pocso), South West Khasi Hills, Mawkyrwat, who had convicted the man under Sections 5(m), 5(n) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012.The trial court had recommended compensation of Rs 3 lakh for the survivor under Section 33(8) of the Pocso Act read with Rule 7 of the Pocso Rules, 2012, towards her rehabilitation and mental health treatment.The matter has been listed for recording compliance on Dec 21, 2026.
