Surat: A special Pocso court in Surat has sentenced a 29-year-old labourer to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly raping a 14-year-old girl after taking her from Surat to his native village in Uttar Pradesh.Budharam Rawat, who hails from Ayodhya district in Uttar Pradesh, was convicted by the fast track Pocso court on Thursday.According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on Oct 27, 2024, when the girl went missing from her residence in Surat. Her mother discovered that her daughter was missing after returning from taking a bath. The family searched for her in the neighbourhood and contacted relatives, but failed to trace her. They approached the Pune police station and lodged a complaint.During the investigation, police traced the girl to a village in Ayodhya district. A Surat Police team, with assistance from the Uttar Pradesh Police, brought the girl and the accused back.Public prosecutor V L Faldu told the court that Rawat had taken the minor to his village, forcibly married her at a temple and repeatedly sexually assaulted her despite knowing that she was below 18 years of age. The prosecution sought the strictest possible punishment for the accused.The court relied on the survivor’s testimony, statements of her family members, medical evidence and school records to establish the offences. Her school documents confirmed that she was born in 2010 and was 14 years old at the time of the incident.The court convicted Rawat under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. It awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for each offence, with all sentences to run concurrently. He was also directed to pay fines totalling Rs 40,000.In addition, the court ordered Rs 4 lakh in compensation for the survivor under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme, subject to the outcome of appeal proceedings. As per the order, 80% of the amount will be deposited in a fixed deposit for three years, while the remaining 20% will be paid to her.However, the court acquitted Rawat of certain other charges, including kidnapping, granting him the benefit of doubt due to insufficient evidence.
