Delhi High Court upholds conviction in minor stepdaughter rape case

An article reporting the High Court’s decision was published on April 25, 2026.

The Delhi High Court uploaded an 18-page judgment upholding the trial court’s order. Justice Vimal Kumar Yadav stated that words such as 'tragic' or 'unfortunate' are inadequate to describe the trauma suffered by the victim. He noted that the father figure the children should have relied on was the perpetrator of sexual assault. The court held that the victim's testimony was credible and consistent, and highlighted incriminating circumstances such as the mother’s reluctance to have the victim returned from the hospital and the stepfather’s insistence on bringing her home. It cited Dr Minu Keshkar (PW-3) and Ms Anita Chhari (PW-9) to show the victim was examined, with the history reflecting assault despite no visible injury marks.

A trial court convicted the man for rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, sentencing him to 15 years of imprisonment.

An FIR was registered based on the victim’s statement, in which she revealed enduring a repeated ordeal over the 1.5 years preceding the report. The younger sister stated that no wrongdoing had occurred.

In 2014, while the mother was hospitalised caring for her youngest child, the man exploited her absence to rape the victim (the minor stepdaughter) and molest her younger sister aged nine. The incident was reported after landlords heard shrieks.