The special court for crime against women headed by Additional District and Sessions Judge Anshu Shukla on Tuesday sentenced the father of a college-going girl to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for raping and molesting her since she was in class VI. The court has also slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the convict, who was a peon in a private firm.

While a detailed judgment in the case is awaited, it is learnt that the complainant supported the prosecution’s version in the case, leading to the conviction.

Following the pronouncement, the convict, his wife and other three children broke down in the court. “We wanted to request the judge not to punish him. My father is innocent,” said the convict’s 13-year-old son.

The case was registered on the complaint of the daughter, a 21-year-old student of graduation, on June 23 last year. The complainant had alleged that her father had raped her when she was 11 and had been making advances at her and also asked her to escape with her.

After she lodged the complaint, she had been staying with a woman teacher. Mother of the complainant said, “My husband had caught her with a boy at the Sector 42 lake, whom he had slapped. He had then threatened revenge. Three months later, my daughter made this allegation.”

The complainant had alleged that a few days before the incident, her father had walked into the washroom while she was bathing and touched her. She also stated her father used to pick her up from college and rape her in forest areas.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Chandigarh News, download Indian Express App.