Ahmedabad: A special Pocso court on Tuesday sentenced a 54-year-old man to 20 years’ imprisonment for sexual harassment of a minor girl aged 9 years.
Saraspur resident Mozibur Shaikh had molested the minor girl twice and an FIR was filed against him with Shaherkotda police station in March 2025, according to the prosecution’s case. Additional public prosecutor D M Thakor examined 11 witnesses and placed 21 pieces of documentary evidence before the court to establish the guilt of the accused. He was booked under various sections of BNS and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for rape and sexual harassment.
The court ordered District Legal Services Authority to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the victim.
“The offence made out in this case against the accused is only under Section 354 of IPC and no offence of the Pocso Act is made out against the accused. So considering it and that the accused has till date undergone the imprisonment, the accused may be acquitted and released” was the defence counsel’s submission as recorded by the court. After the special judge at the city sessions court, H N Desai, convicted Shaikh, his advocate vehemently argued that Shaikh had not committed any offence of rape under the Pocso Act.