Delhi court gives man 10 years term for raping daughter
A Delhi court sentences a man to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for raping his minor daughter, terming his crime as "unthinkable and worst than murder".
A Delhi court has sentenced a man to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for raping his minor daughter, terming his crime as "unthinkable and worst than murder".
"The allegation proved against the convict are of the most horrifying nature. He has been found guilty of committing rape of his own daughter. It is a worst crime than murder," Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Sharma said.
Holding Balbir Singh (45), a government employee and father of the complainant under sections 376 (rape) and 507 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the court said, it is unthinkable that such a crime has been committed by a person who was supposed to protect the victim.
In a recent order, it also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict, apart from the prison term.
According to the prosecution, on April 3, 2005, Balbir Singh had raped his 15-year-old daughter at his residence at Vivek Vihar and threatened her not to tell the incident to anyone.
On April 11, 2005, the motherless victim sought help from a friend of her father and an advocate to file a complaint in a court as the police had refused to act on her plea.
During the arguments, the defence accused the victim of being a bad character and having physical relations with brother of her friend.
"It is all the more degrading for a father who is charged with the rape of her daughter, to make imputation against the character of her daughter," court said, rejecting his plea.
It also condoned eight days delay in making the complaint, saying "it is not easy for the victim of that tender age to take immediate steps, that too when she had no shelter of her mother." The prosecution examined 19 witnesses to prove its charges in the case.