A Bengaluru court on Wednesday sentenced a daily wage worker to 20 years of imprisonment for raping his 16-yr-old daughter, ending a three-year legal battle in which the minor survivor fought despite getting no support from her mother and immediate family.
A Bengaluru court on Wednesday sentenced a daily wage worker to 20 years of imprisonment for raping his 16-year-old daughter, ending a three-year legal battle in which the minor survivor fought despite getting no support from her mother and immediate family. The mother even reprimanded the girl for registering a rape case against her father.
Special Judge S Sujata also imposed a fine of Rs 1.1 lakh on the convict, who has remained lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison since his arrest in June 2023.
The accused, a daily-wage labourer from Bihar, lived with his wife and four children in north Bengaluru. The survivor, his eldest daughter, had dropped out of school after Class IX and moved to a relative’s home in Uttar Pradesh after repeatedly facing pressure from her father to get married.
Following the death of the convict’s mother in Bihar on June 12, 2023, the family travelled to their native place to attend the funeral rituals. During the visit, the father reportedly assured his daughter that he would no longer force her into marriage. Trusting his promise, she later returned to Bengaluru after him.
Days later, on the night of June 27, 2023, the accused allegedly returned home in a highly intoxicated state and claimed he wanted to “test” his daughter’s character. He said he suspected her of having an affair while she was staying in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the prosecution, he used this so-called “test” as a pretext to sexually assault her.
Terrified and traumatised, the teenager waited for an opportunity to escape. When her father stepped out later that night to fetch dinner, she fled the house and spent the night hiding in a nearby park.
The following morning, she spotted an autorickshaw and desperately pleaded with the driver to take her to the nearest police station. There, she filed a formal complaint.
Police immediately launched an investigation, arrested the accused and shifted the survivor to a state-run women’s shelter home to ensure her safety and protection.
However, when police contacted her mother and requested her immediate presence in Bengaluru, the woman allegedly chose to blame the minor instead of standing by her.
“The survivor fought this battle entirely alone,” public prosecutor P Krishnaveni told TOI. “Despite serving several notices and making multiple requests, her mother steadfastly refused to attend the court proceedings or support her child,” she said.
“The survivor stood like a rock, never wavering from her initial statements despite the immense emotional trauma and zero family backing,” Krishnaveni added.
Now 19 years old, the survivor is rebuilding her life and working as a tailor.
The public prosecutor credited the successful conviction not only to the survivor’s resilience but also to the unwavering support provided by women police personnel and staff members at the state shelter home.
“We must thank the women police officials and the dedicated staff of the state home who stood firmly by her side throughout these three years, ensuring that justice was ultimately served,” she said.