Dahod minor sexual assault: Principal sentenced to 10 years, police investigation under scrutiny

The Limkheda Sessions Court, Dahod,  sentenced the school principal Govind Nat to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh.

According to the accused’s lawyer, the court dismissed charges under POCSO and murder, instead sentencing the principal under Section 105(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for gross negligence. The court did not accept the police investigation or the evidence presented. It is notable that the court handed down the maximum punishment allowed under this section.

Despite the inclusion of POCSO and murder charges in the charge sheet, the court did not find sufficient evidence to convict the accused under these sections, declaring him not guilty of those charges. However, the court found that the 6-year-old girl died due to gross negligence, leading to his conviction.

What was the case?

In September 2024, a horrific incident had shocked Toyni village in Dahod, Gujarat. 

School principal Govind Nat had picked up a 6-year old-girl who he had attempted inappropriate physical contact with in his car. When she screamed, he suffocated her to death. The autopsy confirmed suffocation as the cause of death. Her body was later found under suspicious circumstances near the primary school premises. The Local Crime Branch, dog squad, and other units launched an investigation. The girl’s mother had sent her with the principal that morning. When the child didn’t return home, a search began, and her body was discovered behind the school.