12-07-11. Gujarat High Court at Sola in Ahmedabad. Photo by Kevin Antao.
Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court has punished a 27-year-old automobile engineer by ordering him to perform one month of community service at Civil Hospital, Asarwa, and donate Rs 50,000 to an orphanage for allegedly recording a minor girl by placing his mobile phone camera on the floor of a mall changing room.
HC also ordered the accused to deposit Rs 50,000 with Shishu Gruh at Paldi within 10 days.
“In the event of any absence, default or misconduct on the part of the applicant during the course of the community service, the same shall be immediately reported to this court for appropriate orders, including revival of the FIR,” HC clarified. The orphanage was directed to utilise the amount for “the welfare, care, education and other legitimate needs of the children residing therein”. The court directed the Civil Hospital superintendent to assign appropriate duties to the accused and send a certificate of satisfactory completion of community service to HC registrar general. It also sought a report detailing the work assigned to him and how he discharged his duties.
HC said it was not inclined to quash the FIR in a perfunctory manner. The court felt that a mere assurance from the accused was not enough and directed him to undertake community service “as a measure of accountability and reflection”. “The applicant is directed to perform community service for a period of one month at the Civil Hospital, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, from Sep 10, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026,” HC ordered.
However, considering the victim’s right to privacy and dignity and the gravity of the offence, the court took an undertaking from the accused in writing that he would never indulge in any criminal activity in future.