Vadodara: A man has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the sessions court for molesting a three-year-old girl in the city. The convict, identified as Sadiq Rathod, used to drive an auto-rickshaw for schoolchildren.According to the case details, Rathod, a resident of Gorwa, used to regularly ferry a three-year-old girl to her school in 2023. He began molesting and sexually harassing the girl in the auto. The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother, who filed a complaint with JP Road police under the POCSO Act. After Rathod’s arrest, police inspector R D Chauhan began an investigation to gather evidence. The cops filed a chargesheet within 40 days of the complaint, after which the trial began. About 16 witnesses were examined, and the court also considered the girl’s medical report and other documents placed on record. On the basis of the evidence, Rathod was convicted and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000.
