Kurseong Father sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment for raping daughter: Court sentences accused under POCSO Act.

KalimNews, Kurseong, 5 March 2023: After five years of rape, father of the minor victim girl is sentenced rigorous imprisonment for 25 years and to pay a fine of Rupees fifty thousand (Rs.50,000) and in default to pay the fine-amount, to suffer further rigorous imprisonment for 1 year, for the offence committed by him punishable under section 6 of POCSO Act 2012. 

If the above fine amount be paid by the accused the same shall be paid to the victim of this case as compensation, the court order dated 28 February 2023 stated.  

Darjeeling Police has expressed its satisfaction on the verdict of N.D.Barman, the Additional Sessions Judge cum Judge under POCSO Act, Kurseong. ,

Additional Sessions Judge cum Special Judge under POCSO Act, 2012. It has mentioned that the accused as a result of relentless effort and top class investigation by SI Sushant Pradhan, OC Kurseong TOP an accused has been convicted under POCSO act for committing an offence against his minor daughter and has been sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50000.

It is reported that on 9th January 2018 an FIR was lodged at Kurseong Police Station by a minor girl against her father, a resident near Plaza Cinema Hall, Hill Cart road at Kurseong (name withheld), that in the month of December, 2017 her said father repeatedly and forcefully raped her.

At that time she was aged below 15 years and a student of class IX. 

Her biological mother left them and fled away with another person and she used to live with her father, step mother, step brother and sisters. When her step mother was not at hom, her father committed rape when he was drunk. He threatened her and told her not to disclose the incident to any body else.

When her step mother came home, she narrated the said incident to her step mother, but her father assaulted her mercilessly and in that night too he raped her again and this continued. Her step mother was informed about the incident but her father also assaulted her and threatened her not to disclose it. 

Out of fear she could not disclose the truth to any body else. On the day of New Year on 01.01.2018 she was assaulted by her father on the pretext that she disclosed the incident to her friends, uncle and aunties with whom she had a party on that day. Her father again raped her in that night on first January 2018.and then assaulted her and her mother, brother and sister. She even had suicidal attempts by cutting her both wrists. 

Thereafter her father sent her mother to her father’s home and again forcefully raped her and then assaulted her and her sister calling them as ‘Dian’ (witch).

Subsequently her father again assaulted her and her brother. 

On 9th August 2018 she went to local Child Line and then the lady members of the Child Line lodged a complaint at the Kurseong Police station on the basis of which a case under POCSO Act, 2012 was lodged against the accused and endorsed the case to S.I Sushanta Pradhan for investigation and the accused was arrested.

After starting a case the victim girl was given  shelter in a Home under Child Line at SIliguri and Darjeeling for a period of one and half years and presently she is residing with her grandmother. 

During the hearing of the case, the accused pleaded not guilty. The case was heard for five years and ultimately the court dismissed the prayer of the accused and declared that he is found guilty of the offence. 

On the next day that is 28th February the convict was sentenced 25 years of rigorous imprisonment & to pay a fine of Rupees fifty thousand (Rs.50,000).