Historic first: Teen gets 20-year term for sexual assault on 14-year-old boy as a juvenile

A special Juvenile Justice Court in Ahmedabad has sentenced a 19-year-old convicted for an offence committed when he was 16-to 20 years of imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy. Judge Manish Pradhuman Purohit delivered the verdict, calling for the strictest punishment under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and related laws.

This is the first time a Juvenile Justice Court in Gujarat has imposed such a sentence. The court also ordered the state to pay the victim ₹4 lakh as compensation through the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019, and fined the convicted youth ₹5,000.

Assault near Maninagar railway colony

According to the prosecution, the assault took place in January 2024 when the 14-year-old boy from Khokhra was returning from school. The accused, then 16 and a resident of Amraiwadi, stopped him near the Maninagar Railway Colony. He allegedly questioned the younger boy for not speaking to him, before threatening, abusing, and dragging him to a secluded spot where he raped him.

The accused also recorded a video of the attack and threatened to make it public.

Prosecution pressed for maximum penalty

Additional Public Prosecutor G P Dave told the court that the crime caused “deep and lasting psychological trauma” and urged a sentence that would “deter such incidents in society”. The prosecution produced 12 witnesses and 30 documentary exhibits to support its case.

Accepting these arguments, the court found the accused guilty under POCSO and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

Custody until 21, then transfer to jail

Under the order, the convicted youth will remain in a “place of safety” until he turns 21. After that, he will be shifted to prison to serve the remainder of the 20-year term.

The Juvenile Justice Act requires that until he reaches 21, the youth be presented yearly before the Children’s Court with reports from the probation officer, the District Child Protection Unit, and a social worker. A care and rehabilitation plan must also be submitted each year.

Defence cites education and good conduct

The accused, currently lodged at the Mehsana Observation Home, attended the sentencing via video conference. His lawyer argued that he had completed his Class 12 studies and spent one year and eight months at the facility engaged in academics, sports, television, and yoga. His mother visits him regularly.

The defence contended that a lengthy sentence would jeopardise his future career prospects.

Court prioritises victim’s trauma

Judge Purohit acknowledged the young offender’s circumstances but said the “deep psychological trauma” suffered by the 14-year-old boy outweighed concerns about the convict’s future.

The ruling sets a precedent in Gujarat for imposing a lengthy prison term on a person who was a juvenile at the time of the offence but is now legally an adult.