Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a 40-year-old man, thereby awarding him a stringent punishment of sentencing him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The accused was held guilty for the horrific crime of repeatedly raping his own biological daughter, causing her to become pregnant, and then forcing her to undergo an abortion before burying the foetus. The court, calling the act "one of the most heinous," also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convicted man.
Court Relies On POCSO Act For Stringent Punishment
The judgment heavily relied on the mandate of the POCSO Act, 2012 (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act), emphasizing the need for a stringent approach to protect children.
"The accused being the father of the child should protect his daughter with utmost love and affection. However, he became a predator and sexually exploited the victim repeatedly," the order copy reads. "The act of the accused is heinous. It has to be viewed seriously... considering the submissions of both the sides and the nature of the offence, the accused is not entitled for leniency."
Court Notes Attempt To Destroy Evidence
The court noted that the rickshaw driver not only committed sexual assault but also "made her pregnant, later terminated her pregnancy and tried to destroy the evidence by burying the aborted foetus in bushes."
The case dates back to 2021.
The accused, a rickshaw driver, would repeatedly rape his then 15-year-old daughter, often under the influence of alcohol, and threaten her with "dire consequences" if she revealed the abuse.
Crime Came To Light After Pregnancy Detection
The crime came to light after the victim missed her menstrual cycle and used a home pregnancy kit, confirming she was pregnant. Upon informing her mother, the victim was instructed to falsely blame a friend for the pregnancy.
The father then forced the victim to terminate the pregnancy initially by pills and later when the pregnancy persisted, by surgically removing the foetus, thereby disposing of it by burying it in nearby bushes in Bhayander.
Victim’s Efforts Led To Registration Of FIR
The victim initially sought help from her maternal uncle in Amravati but was denied assistance. Determined to seek justice, she, with the help of her friend, approached the Rajapeth Police Station in Amravati and registered an FIR against her father.
The case was subsequently transferred to the Bhayander Police for investigation. The police conducted a thorough and successful probe, which established a "perfect chain of investigation."
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DNA Test Proved Crucial For Conviction
Crucially, the police were successful in recovering the buried foetus from the bushes. A subsequent DNA test was conducted, which conclusively matched the DNA of the foetus to the accused, solidifying the vital evidence that led to the conviction.
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