India: Man jailed for life for raping two minor sisters in MP

Indore, Jan 23 (PTI) A court Wednesday awarded a man a life sentence till death for raping two minor sisters here in 2016.

Special Judge Varsha Sharma handed down the punishment to Ramesh Bheel (50) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act and the IPC.

Besides, the judge imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the convict which he has to pay to the victims.

District Public Prosecutor Mohammad Akram Sheikh said Bheel raped the two girls - aged 3 and 5 - from his neighbourhood in his home on May 2, 2016.

Bheel went to the house of the two girls and told their mother that he wanted to take them to a shop to buy them some snacks, he said.

Since he was known to the family, the victims' mother agreed to his request, Sheikh said.

Sheikh said when her daughters did not return home for an hour, the woman got panicky and went to the convict's home. She was shocked to see Bheel sexually assaulting her daughters, he said.

The woman raised an alarm following which people rushed to their help, but Bheel escaped from the spot, Sheikh said.

After arresting him, police booked him under relevant sections of the POSCO Act and the IPC, the prosecutor added.