Ahmedabad: A special Pocso court here on Saturday sentenced a 44-year-old man to life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life for raping his minor daughter after learning of her relationship with a boyfriend.The 16-year-old survivor had filed an FIR with Vatva police in March 2024, stating that when her family learnt of the relationship, her father beat her in anger. A few days later, he began molesting and raping her, and threatened her against disclosing the abuse. Her mother had left home eight years earlier because of her father’s aggressive nature.Police arrested the man. During the trial, he claimed his daughter had filed a false complaint in connivance with her boyfriend, alleging she had framed him because he had scolded her on learning of the relationship.Prosecutors K G Jain and D M Thakor examined 12 witnesses and produced documents establishing the man‘s guilt. Special Pocso judge A B Bhatt of the city sessions court held him guilty, sentenced him to life imprisonment, and imposed a fine of Rs 30,000, to be paid to his daughter as compensation. The court also ordered the state govt to pay her a further Rs 7 lakh as compensation.Sentencing him, the court said: “Instead of protecting his daughters as a father, the accused, unable to control his anger, went far beyond merely scolding or lightly hitting them and, rather than trying to correct her behaviour, committed a vile act by sexually assaulting her to satisfy his lust. In such circumstances, for a crime of this nature, the accused deserves no sympathy or humanitarian consideration.“
