Ahmedabad POCSO court orders ₹50,000 compensation from uncle, aunt in child marriage case

A Special POCSO Court in Ahmedabad has convicted a paternal uncle and aunt for forcing their two minor nieces into child marriage in 2020. The girls, aged 14 and 16 at the time, were orphans raised by the accused as their guardians.

The court found the uncle and aunt guilty under Section 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, for performing and facilitating the marriage. The court emphasised the psychological trauma, mental suffering endured by the victims due to being married off during childhood.

The accused were directed to jointly pay ₹25,000 to each victim (totalling ₹50,000), acknowledging their direct role in psychological trauma and mental suffering. However, the court also emphasised that the government should bear the ultimate responsibility for preventing and remedying such violations against children.

Invoking the Victims of Child Marriage Compensation Scheme 2019, the court ordered the state government to pay ₹1,00,000 in compensation to each of the two sisters, totaling ₹2 lakh. Since the victims are now adults, 80% of the compensation must be placed in a fixed deposit for at least three years in a nationalized bank of their choice. The remaining 20% will be released directly into their bank accounts via account payee cheque after verification, the court said.

The case surfaced after the Child Welfare Department learned of the marriages. No complaint was initially filed by the guardians, but authorities investigated upon discovery. An FIR was registered at Shahibaug Mahila Police Station under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and Section 10 of the Child Marriage Act, 2006.