Mahisagar court sentences 23-year-old man to 20 years imprisonment in POCSO case

A Special POCSO Court in Mahisagar convicted and sentenced a 23-year-old man, Pasvantkumar Bariya, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and repeatedly raping a 15-year-old minor girl.

According to court records, the incident trace back to February 2024, when Bariya eloped with the victim, a Class 9 student, under the pretext of marriage. The two stayed at a water park along the Morbi highway for over a month, where the accused repeatedly assaulted the minor.

The prosecution successfully established the victim’s age as 15 years and 2 months at the time of the crime through authentic school and birth register records. The court rejected the defense’s argument of a romantic relationship and mutual consent, emphasizing that the consent of a minor is irrelevant under the law.

Bariya was found guilty under Sections 363, 366, 376(2)(n), and 376(3) of the Indian Penal Code, alongside Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act.

The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently, imposed a fine, and awarded ₹3,00,000 in compensation to the victim's guardian.