Kolkata, June 23: A court here on Thursday sentenced a 42-year-old man to serve 20 years rigorous imprisonment for sexual abuse of his six-year-old daughter. An FIR was lodged against the man, a resident of Canal East Road by his wife on August 11, 2021 at the Manicktala police station. In her complaint, the woman claimed that her husband had sexually assaulted their daughter 5-6 days earlier when she was not at home.

The man was arrested on August 12, 2021 and charged under Section 376 (2)(f) of the IPC read with Section 6 of the Pocso Act, 2012. According to the complainant, the matter first came to light on August 11, 2021, when she was leaving home for work. Kerala Shocker: Mother Allegedly Lets Two Men Rape Her Daughter in Pathanamthitta District; Arrested.

She asked their daughter to stay with her father but the child refused to do so. On questioning, the girl told her mother how her father had sexually abused her a few days ago. The woman went to the police station immediately to lodge an FIR against her husband. The child was sent for medical examination and her statement was recorded before a magistrate.

During the course of the trial before Narendranath Dasgupta, Additional District Judge (also in charge of the Pocso Court), Sealdah, special public prosecutor Vivek Sharma highlighted how such an act destroys the faith that a child has on her/his parents who are actually supposed to provide protection against such crimes by others. By committing the crime, the man had snapped that unseen 'sacred thread' of trust that exists between a father and his daughter.

The court agreed that it was a heinous crime that goes against all social norms and observed that the accused has no place in society, at least till the time he is reformed. Judge Dasgupta then sentenced the man to serve 20 years rigorous imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 5,000. State authorities have also been directed to pay the child Rs 300,000 as compensation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2022 09:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).