Ahmedabad: A 28-year-old man from Ramol was sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping a minor girl after eloping with her.
The accused in this case, Zaheerkhan Pathan, and the 17-year-old victim eloped and went to Ajmer in Nov 2024. Additional public prosecutor DM Thakor examined 10 witnesses and presented 27 pieces of documentary evidence before the special Pocso court at the city sessions court to establish Pathan’s guilt.
The court did not order compensation for the victim in this case and said, “The victim did not suffer damage mentally or physically and did not come on record about her treatment, so no order for compensation to the victim is passed in this case.” The girl’s family filed a police complaint, and upon return, Pathan was charged under IPC and Pocso Act for rape. He tried to defend himself by submitting that he and the girl had been in love for the past year.
After recording the conviction, special Pocso judge Heena Desai said on Tuesday: “Considering mitigating circumstances, the court cannot impose less than the minimum sentence determined by the legislature under the provisions of IPC and Pocso Act.