Ahmedabad POCSO Court Sentences 81-Year-Old Man to 5 Years in Jail for Assaulting 5-Year-Old Girl

An Ahmedabad POCSO Court has sentenced 81-year-old Tafzul Hussain Qureshi to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in the Madhavpura area. The court also directed that the victim be provided ₹1 lakh compensation under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme.

Special Judge N.H. Vasvelia of the POCSO Court delivered the verdict after finding Qureshi guilty in the case, which involved a child who had gone to a shop to buy chocolates.

Girl Assaulted After Visiting Shop for Chocolates

According to the prosecution case, Qureshi, who operated a shop in Madhavpura, assaulted the five-year-old girl on 19 October 2024 when she visited his shop.

The child later returned home crying and informed her mother about the incident. Following this, the girl's mother approached Madhavpura Police Station and lodged a complaint against Qureshi.

Police arrested the accused and filed a charge sheet before the POCSO Court.

Prosecution Examines Witnesses and Evidence

During the trial, the prosecution presented 10 witnesses and submitted 11 documentary pieces of evidence before the court.

The complainant and other witnesses identified the accused during the legal proceedings, strengthening the prosecution's case.

The government prosecutor argued that crimes against children are a serious concern and that strict punishment was necessary to uphold the objective of the law and create deterrence against such offences.

Court Orders Jail Term and Compensation

After considering the arguments presented by both sides and examining the evidence on record, Special Judge N.H. Vasvelia convicted Tafzul Hussain Qureshi and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment.

The court also ordered compensation of ₹1 lakh for the victim under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme and directed that the convicted accused be sent to jail.