Man gets 25 years rigorous imprisonment for raping minor daughter

Refusing to show any leniency to the convict, special POCSO judge Bharti Kale said that the offence was heinous and affected the fabric of life.

Mumbai: A special POCSO court on Monday sentenced a 37-year-old man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping his teenage daughter multiple times in 2020 and 2021. Father, who is supposed to make his daughter’s life safe, has himself caused immeasurable pain to her, the court observed.

The girl stated that her father had sexually assaulted her at least on five occasions. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Refusing to show any leniency to the convict, special POCSO judge Bharti Kale said that the offence was heinous and affected the fabric of life.

“The victim was subjected to penetrative sexual assault by her own father when she was only 13-year-old. A father lays the foundation of security, trust and love. A father makes his daughter’s life safe and protects her from hurt. But the victim’s father himself has caused immeasurable pain to her. The childhood trauma is bound to affect the victim,” said the court.

According to the prosecution, the 13-year-old girl lived with her grandparents, uncle, father and two younger siblings. It was claimed that her mother had left them seven years before the incident.

The incident came to light on May 4, 2021, after the girl’s grandmother questioned her about the menstrual cycle. It was then the child revealed that her father had been subjecting her to forcible sexual assault since last year.

The accused had denied the charge. His court-appointed lawyer contended that the house where they were staying was very small for any person to commit any such crime, without getting noticed by others. The lawyer claimed that the false complaint was registered against him, as he used to stop the girl from talking to her male friends.

The court, however, found no substance in his defence and held him guilty based on the girl’s testimony and sentenced him to 25 years imprisonment.