NAGPUR: A shocking saga of a man sexually exploiting his eight-year-old stepdaughter for almost a year has come to fore on Thursday after the survivor's mother walked into Nandanvan police station to get her husband Manoj Burman arrested. On Friday, Burman was produced before the court which remanded him to police custody till April 2.

Burman, a delivery man with a LPG distribution agency, had eloped to city with the girl's mother who was already married. The couple had been staying together since last few years at Wathoda. They have a four-year-old son. Namita (name changed) and her sister also stayed with them.

Police said Burman used to sexually exploit Namita, a std III student, when the rest of the family would be asleep. "He would undress Namita in sleep. Namita complained to her mother but she did not take the matter seriously until she spotted her husband doing the heinous act in the early hours of Thursday. Namita once again narrated her mother the ordeal she had been going through for the last few months," added cops.

Police said Burman has claimed that he has been framed by his wife following a domestic feud. Nandanvan police have booked Burman for rape following medical examination on Namita.

Senior inspector DL Dhole of Nandanvan police station said though the medical test is yet to confirm rape but amended law has been followed to register the offence. Sub-inspector Sangeeta Mandhre of Nandanvan police station is in-charge of investigation.

