A 27-year-old man, a former monk, has been arrested for the alleged sexual assault of his 16-year-old stepdaughter resulting in her pregnancy. The abuse is said to have happened in the absence of the girl’s mother.
The distressing incident came to light when family members began inquiring about the father of the child in preparation for a census registration. The girl identified her step-father as the father of the child, but he has completely denied any involvement.
The family subsequently reported the allegations to RENEW, which then forwarded the case to the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) on 18 September 2024
According to RBP, the abuse reportedly first occurred in 2022 when the girl was just 14 years old and her step-father was 25. Investigations revealed that the step-father had sexually assaulted the girl on three separate occasions, ultimately leading to her pregnancy.
DNA testing confirmed that the child, now 1 year and a month old, matched the step-father’s DNA.
The girl gave birth at home in August last year, without informing anyone about the situation.
The girl’s biological parents divorced in 2019, and she initially lived with her father. However, later she moved in with her mother.
Prior to the census registration, even the girl’s family was unaware of the abuse or the identity of the child’s father. The girl had not disclosed the situation to her mother, who remained unaware to the circumstances surrounding the birth.
Following the home delivery, the grand mother took the infant for necessary medical check-ups without any knowledge of the father’s identity.
Currently, the stepfather is in police custody.
North Thimphu Police Station shared that the step-father will be charged with rape of a child above twelve years of age.
As per Penal Code of Bhutan, a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of rape of a child above the age of twelve years, if the defendant has sexual intercourse with a child between the age of twelve to eighteen years.
The offence of rape of a child above the age of twelve years shall be a felony of the third degree.
A defendant convicted of a felony of the third degree shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, a minimum of which shall be five years and a maximum of which shall be less than nine years.