The Fast Track Special Court (POCSO), Merces, has sen tenced a man from Mormugao taluka to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for raping his minor daughter and imposed fines totalling Rs 1.30 lakh. Fast Track Special Court Presiding Officer Pooja C Kavlekar held that the offences were extremely heinous and that the trauma suffered by the vic tim would scar her for life.
The court convicted the accused under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4, 6 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case was registered in July 2024. For the offence under Section 64 of the BNS, the court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. Under Section 4 of the POCSO Act, he was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000, while under Sec tion 6, he was sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 50,000.
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He was also sentenced to three years’ simple imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 under Section 8. The sentences will run concurrent ly, making 20 years the effective term of imprisonment. The period already spent in custody will be set off against the sentence. The court directed that the fines re covered be paid to the victim as com pensation. It also held that she would be entitled to compensation under the Goa Victim Compensation Scheme for Victims of Sexual Assault and Other Crimes, 2018.
The prosecution case was supported by the victim’s testimony and circum stantial evidence, including the scene of-offence panchanama and forensic findings. The court specifically relied on a forensic report that detected semen on a plastic bubble sheet allegedly used by the accused for sleeping. The defence argued that there were lapses in the investigation and sought leniency, citing the accused’s financial circumstances and his family’s depend ence on him. The court rejected the plea, holding that such circumstances could not outweigh the gravity of the offence committed against his own daughter.
