Ahmedabad: Within a week of the commencement of the trial, a special Pocso court in Kalol in Gandhinagar district delivered its verdict on Thursday and sentenced a 42-year-old accused to life imprisonment for the remainder of his life for impregnating a minor.According to additional public prosecutor Jignesh Joshi, Bharatji Thakor, a driver from Moti Adraj village, had lured the 15-year-old girl to Morbi. An FIR was lodged by the girl’s family on June 2. Thakor was arrested and charged with rape under BNS and the Pocso Act.Police filed a chargesheet on Aug 21, and the special court initiated the trial on the same day after framing charges. The court began recording the evidence on Aug 24, completed the process in three days and delivered its verdict on Thursday. It convicted Thakor on the basis of witness statements and DNA analysis. The court imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the accused, and ordered the state govt to pay Rs 3 lakh compensation to the victim.While sentencing the accused, special judge B R Rajput stated, “Here, the victim is a minor under 16 years of age; she is a child herself. Taking advantage of a child’s immaturity, this 42-year-old accused repeatedly subjected her to physical abuse by threatening her, and as a result of his misconduct, this child-like minor was forced to carry a pregnancy. This trauma has shattered the minor’s life. Even her family members or nearby residents remained silent despite witnessing the brutality being inflicted on her; in such circumstances, it is unbelievable that this minor came before the court and revealed the truth. Allowing a person with such a depraved mindset to live in society is harmful to the entire community.”
