Man awarded 10 year jail term for raping his minor daughter

A special fast track court, set up here to try exclusively the cases of sexual offences against women, today sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for raping his minor daughter in 2011.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) TR Naval awarded the jail term to Tilak Raj relying on statements of the victim, and her brother, who was the sole eye witness in the case.

"While considering and analysing the entire prosecution evidence, this court has come to the conclusion that all the oral and scientific evidence has proved that the accused Tilak Raj committed sexual intercourse with the prosecutrix forcibly against her will.

"Therefore, it is bounden duty of this court to hold the accused guilty and convict him," the ASJ said and also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict.

According to the police, on November 25, 2011, mother of the 14-year-old victim had lodged a complaint saying her minor daughter was missing from her house since November 25.

Two days later, the mother came to the police station along with her daughter, who said when her mother had gone to Kolkata, her father Tilak Raj had raped her following which she had left her home and she was residing at the home of one of her friends.

Raj was arrested on December 1, 2011 and subsequently charges under section 376 (rape) of the IPC were framed against him by the court.

During the trial, Raj had claimed that he was implicated in the case by his wife and daughter as they were indulging in "illicit activities" and he had objected to it.

He said that his wife had gone to Kolkata and on the date of the alleged incident, he was not in his home.