A man has been sentenced to ten years in jail for raping his minor cousin with a Delhi court saying the convict has shattered the sanctity of relationship as cousins are like brothers and sisters in a Hindu family.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sanjeev Kumar held Delhi resident Ramesh, 30, guilty of raping his 16-year-old cousin, in whose house he has been living for last four years.
“I agree with the contention of the prosecutor that the act of convict is quite grave as he has not only spoilt the life of a child but he has also broken the trust of the girl and her family and also shattered the sanctity of relationship on which our society relies as in a Hindu family cousins are just like brother and sister,” the judge said.
The court added such a person does not deserve to live in society and a message should be sent to all such persons to deter them from doing such things. It also imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 on the convict.
According to the police, Ramesh, a school bus driver, had raped the minor daughter of his maternal uncle when her parents had gone to work while brothers had gone to school.
The incident took place in July 2011 when the girl was doing household work and Ramesh, who was also residing with her family in her house, came and raped her, it said.
Police said the girl was also beaten up by the accused when she resisted his act and also threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
The girl, however, narrated the incident to her mother when she returned home and she informed police and Ramesh was arrested.
Ramesh, on the other hand, sought leniency on the ground that he was falsely implicated in the case.
The court, refused to show any leniency to him and said proper sentencing should be done as only after that a strong message can be sent to the society.
