Jodhpur, Jan. 9 -- The Rajasthan High Court has upheld the life sentence of a man convicted of raping his minor daughter, dismissing his criminal appeal and affirming the trial court's verdict. The court observed that when a father betrays his child's trust, the act is not an ordinary offence but a direct assault on the sanctity of family, trust, and childhood, leaving no scope for leniency. A division bench of justices Vinit Kumar Mathur and Chandra Shekhar Sharma on Wednesday affirmed the November 14, 2022, judgment of the special POCSO court in Dungarpur, ruling that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused, Manoj, beyond reasonable doubt. The bench noted: "A close scrutiny of the record reveals that the prosecution has successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt. The testimony of the victim inspires full confidence. Despite her tender age, her evidence is natural, cogent, and consistent, and it bears the stamp of truth. Her competence to depose was duly assessed by the court, and she answered questions intelligently and without tutoring. There is no material contradiction or embellishment in her statement. Being the victim of the crime herself, and there being no reason for her to falsely implicate her own father, her testimony constitutes the best possible evidence of the occurrence. The victim has categorically narrated the incident of sexual assault committed by the accused appellant Manoj on the night when her mother was not at home, as well as the earlier incident during the period when her mother had undergone surgery. The emotional state of the victim while deposing before the court further lends assurance to the genuineness of her statement."...