India, Oct. 12 -- The Bombay High Court recently refused to show any leniency to a 56-year-old labourer from Nagpur and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment for raping his minor daughter multiple times.

Justice Nivedita P Mehta on Friday said imposing the maximum sentence was justified in the facts and circumstances of the case; 20 years was neither excessive nor disproportionate. "The crime involved gross abuse of paternal trust, systematic exploitation, and devastating emotional and physical harm to a minor girl," the court said.

"The nature of the offences, especially in light of the relationship between the accused and the victim, aggravates the seriousness of the crime," said Justice Mehta. "The ends of justice require that su...