20-Year Imprisonment for Manipulated Relationship with Minor

A 28-year-old married coconut seller from Gujarat has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for manipulating a 14-year-old girl to elope with him and sexually assaulting her in 2019. The special POCSO court rejected the convict's argument that the relationship between them was consensual, citing that he hid his marriage from the teen. The court relied on the age determination test conducted four years later, which concluded that the victim was above 18 but less than 19 years old at the time of the test, thereby establishing that she was 14 years old when the crime took place. The victim's sister had lodged a case with the Versova police in June 2019, stating that the teen was traced a month later and had been confined in a room by the accused in his native in Gujarat.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 28-year-old married man manipulated a 14-year-old girl to elope with him and sexually assaulted her in 2019.
  • The convict argued that the relationship was consensual, but the court rejected this claim, citing that he hid his marriage from the teen.
  • The special POCSO court relied on the age determination test conducted four years after the incident, which concluded that the victim was 14 years old at the time of the crime.
  • The victim's sister lodged a case with the Versova police in June 2019, reporting that the teen was confined in a room by the accused in his native in Gujarat.
  • The accused claimed that the evidence of the medical officer showed that the victim was more than 18 years old when the incident took place.
  • The court considered the medical experts' conclusion that the victim was above 18 but less than 19 years old when the test was conducted.
  • The sentence of 20 years of imprisonment highlights the severity of manipulating a juvenile and committing sexual assault.
  • The case highlights the importance of protecting minor victims of sexual assault and manipulation.

Statistics:

  • The accused is a 28-year-old married man from Gujarat.
  • The victim is a 14-year-old girl who was manipulated to elope with the accused in 2019.
  • The special POCSO court sentenced the accused to 20 years of imprisonment.
  • The victim's sister lodged a case with the Versova police in June 2019.
  • The age determination test conducted four years after the incident established the victim's age at the time of the crime.

Sources:

  • Indian National Press (Bombay) Pvt. Ltd. (2025)
  • Contify.com (citing Indian National Press)