Bench Calls Actions ‘Perverse’, Refuses Suspension of Sentence
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday firmly rejected a plea for suspension of sentence filed by a cardiologist convicted of sexually assaulting his seven-year-old daughter, calling the offence “perverse” and stating that the man did not deserve any relief.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, while dismissing the plea, noted that the crime had been committed under the influence of alcohol. “See the kind of things he has done to the child. You do not deserve any relief,” the bench observed, according to news agency PTI. “He is a perverse guy, not entitled to any suspension. They were drunk.”
Court Backs Testimony of Minor Victim
The court strongly backed the child’s testimony, remarking, “You can’t do this to your own daughter. Why would a child testify against her father unless it were true? She’s a small girl who has withstood cross-examination. Man becomes a beast after drinking.”
The bench refused to entertain arguments from the defence claiming the child’s testimony had been tutored. The doctor’s counsel had also cited the severe case backlog in the Allahabad High Court — reportedly over 12 lakh cases — as a reason for granting interim relief. The apex court, however, made it clear that judicial delay could not be a justification for suspending punishment in such a grave matter.
Plea Withdrawn After Court Remarks
Facing strong observations from the court and no sign of relief, the defence withdrew the petition. The plea was subsequently dismissed as withdrawn.
Background: Assault Allegedly Took Place During Visit to Father
As per the FIR filed by the child’s mother, the incident occurred in 2018. The woman, who lives in Varanasi, had sent her daughter to Haldwani to visit her estranged husband, who runs a nursing home there. A week later, the doctor called the mother to collect the child. After returning home, the girl confided in her mother, describing her father as a “bad man” and alleging inappropriate behaviour.
