HC upholds life term to man for incest

The Delhi High Court today upheld the life sentence awarded to man by trial court for raping his teenage daughter and fathering her child, saying his action "shakes the faith of the children in their parents".
The court, however, modified the trial court order dropping its rider that "his sentence should not be remitted till he served 20 years in jail".
Dismissing the appeal filed by Sant Ram alias Sadhu Ram against the trial court's conviction, a bench of justices G S Sistani and G P Mittal said it is established that the appellant, who is father of the prosecutrix and the protector of the daughter, himself betrayed her trust.

"The act committed by the appellant shakes the faith of the children in their own parents."
"If we do accept that the act committed by the appellant was ghastly, abominable and barbaric, the appellant was not liable to be punished with imprisonment of life with the rider that his case of commutation ought not to be considered unless he serves the actual sentence of 20 years," the bench said.
The bench accepted victim's statement and DNA report which established that Ram was the perpetrator and said, "We do not find any reason to disbelieve the testimony with regard to the sexual intercourse by the father as also the DNA report...."

While convicting the man in April 2010, the trial court had termed his act as "inhuman and ghastly" and sentenced him to life imprisonment besides imposing fine of Rs two lakh on him.