New Delhi: A court here has sentenced a 33-year-old man to rigorous life imprisonment for repeatedly raping his minor stepdaughter and impregnating her in 2019, calling it "morally repugnant". In an incest case, illiteracy of the culprit cannot be considered as a mitigating factor.
It also observed that the culprit deserves "severe punishment" due to the nature of the crime and society's interest in protecting vulnerable children from terrible experiences.
Additional Sessions Judge Babita Punia was hearing the case against the stepfather, who was last month convicted under the penal provision of rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Special Public Prosecutor Shravan Kumar Bishnoi sought "stringent punishment", saying that "a clear and strong message should be sent to the society that such horrific acts will not be tolerated".
In an order passed on May 17, the judge rejected the defense counsel's argument about the convict being illiterate and said, "I am of the view that illiteracy cannot be specifically considered as a mitigating factor in the incidents may be considered.This is not only legally punishable but also morally repugnant."
He said that the "diabolical nature" of the crime and the fact that the victim was the convict's step-daughter and was under his care and protection outweighed the personal circumstances, including the convict's age.
The court said, "The interest of justice demands that the harshest punishment should be awarded. The convict has dismally failed to show the existence of sufficient cogent reasons for adopting a lenient stance."
It outlined various aggravating factors in the case, including that the victim was an innocent and helpless child who became pregnant and had to undergo an abortion at the age of approximately 16."The convict preyed on an innocent and vulnerable child to satisfy his greed and selfish needs. He repeatedly made the victim the object of his lust and impregnated her. There is no doubt in my mind that this is an unbearable There must have been pain, the judge said, "endured by the victim or the child."
He said, "The fact that the offense was committed by a stepfather who was in a position of trust against his innocent, helpless old child makes the offense graver."
While sentencing the convict to rigorous imprisonment for life, the court clarified that this meant "imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life"."The nature of the crime and society's interest in protecting vulnerable children from terrible experiences require a harsher sentence," it said.
It also observed that the culprit deserves "severe punishment" due to the nature of the crime and society's interest in protecting vulnerable children from terrible experiences.
Additional Sessions Judge Babita Punia was hearing the case against the stepfather, who was last month convicted under the penal provision of rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Special Public Prosecutor Shravan Kumar Bishnoi sought "stringent punishment", saying that "a clear and strong message should be sent to the society that such horrific acts will not be tolerated".
In an order passed on May 17, the judge rejected the defense counsel's argument about the convict being illiterate and said, "I am of the view that illiteracy cannot be specifically considered as a mitigating factor in the incidents may be considered.This is not only legally punishable but also morally repugnant."
He said that the "diabolical nature" of the crime and the fact that the victim was the convict's step-daughter and was under his care and protection outweighed the personal circumstances, including the convict's age.
The court said, "The interest of justice demands that the harshest punishment should be awarded. The convict has dismally failed to show the existence of sufficient cogent reasons for adopting a lenient stance."
It outlined various aggravating factors in the case, including that the victim was an innocent and helpless child who became pregnant and had to undergo an abortion at the age of approximately 16."The convict preyed on an innocent and vulnerable child to satisfy his greed and selfish needs. He repeatedly made the victim the object of his lust and impregnated her. There is no doubt in my mind that this is an unbearable There must have been pain, the judge said, "endured by the victim or the child."
He said, "The fact that the offense was committed by a stepfather who was in a position of trust against his innocent, helpless old child makes the offense graver."
While sentencing the convict to rigorous imprisonment for life, the court clarified that this meant "imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life"."The nature of the crime and society's interest in protecting vulnerable children from terrible experiences require a harsher sentence," it said.
