Crime news: A man was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in the national capital for raping and impregnating his minor daughter. The court stated that it was a “diabolical crime” that deserved no leniency. Additional Sessions Judge Babita Puniya was hearing a case against the 44-year-old man whom the court convicted in January.
The convict was charged under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
What did the court say?
"The diabolical nature of the crime and the fact that the victim was the daughter of the convict and was in his care and protection, clearly outweigh the personal circumstances of the convict, including his age," the court said.
The convict had submitted before the court that he was under the influence of alcohol and could not figure out whether she was her wife or daughter. He also said that he was the sole breadwinner of his family consisting of elderly parents, his wife and four children.
However, the judge said that it is unimaginable of a father who cannot differentiate between his wife and daughter.
“I am not impressed by the argument of the convict in his mitigation. I cannot imagine a father who cannot differentiate between his wife and minor daughter. Even otherwise, the diabolical act was not committed once but he subjected his own minor daughter to repeated acts of rape and impregnated her,” the judge said.
In a judgment dated March 22, she said the convict deserved maximum punishment.
"The convict has failed dismally to show the existence of substantial and compelling reasons for taking a lenient view," it said.
Victim gives birth to child
The court listed out several aggravating factors against the convict, including that he raped her minor daughter repeatedly, resulting in her pregnancy. She gave birth in February last year.
She was 17 at the time of giving birth to her father’s child, the court noted.
It also said that during the trial, the convict had written a letter to his daughter, trying to blackmail her emotionally.
The court said the "aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating factors."
"I conclude that there are no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying this court to deviate from the sentence of life imprisonment," the judge said.
"Life sentence would serve the interest of justice as well as society.
The child born to the victim has been given to the special adoption agency.
(With PTI inputs)
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