Ahmedabad: A special Pocso court here on Friday sentenced one Devraj Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district to 20 years’ imprisonment for raping and impregnating a minor girl.The victim’s father lodged an FIR with Nikol police in May 2021 after the family found out the girl was pregnant. Since the pregnancy was in an advanced stage of 28 weeks, the doctors refused to terminate it and the victim delivered a child.Chaudhary, in his 20s, and the victim became close when they began chatting on Instagram, as the victim was given a mobile phone by the family for online studies during the pandemic. After the FIR was filed, Chaudhary was brought to Ahmedabad on a transfer warrant from an Aligarh prison, where he was lodged in connection with another offence.During the trial, the prosecution examined seven witnesses and placed 15 pieces of documentary evidence, including DNA analysis, before the court to establish Chaudhary’s guilt. The DNA report established that Chaudhary had fathered the child.While sentencing the accused, special Pocso judge at the city sessions court, Heena Desai, said, “Considering the arguments presented by both parties regarding sentencing, as well as the case’s facts, the accused in this matter enticed and deceived the victim, and absconded with the intention of removing her from the lawful guardianship of the complainant, and despite knowing that the victim was a minor, he established physical relations with her and caused her to become pregnant. Taking all circumstances of the case into account, the commission of the offence in the present case has been proven as a matter of fact. In such circumstances, if the punishment prescribed by law is not imposed, then the provisions laid down in the law will become meaningless.”The court also ordered Rs 4 lakh in compensation for the victim.
