Surat Court Delivers Landmark 20-Year Sentence in Child Rape Case

Surat | Gujarat — In a powerful verdict that sends a clear message against crimes targeting the most vulnerable, a Surat court has sentenced a 22-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the repeated sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl. The conviction, handed down by Surat Additional Sessions Judge Bhavesh K. Awasiya, came after the accused was found guilty of multiple offenses, including those under the stringent POCSO Act.

The accused, identified as Rahul alias Police Deepak Chauhan, was also ordered to pay a hefty fine of Rs 1.75 lakh, with the court mandating an additional compensation of Rs 6 lakh to be paid to the young victim.

The horrifying incident unfolded during the Navratri festival in November 2024 in the Adajan area of Surat. The accused, a resident of the same locality, allegedly lured the 12-year-old girl to his house on the fourth day of the festival and sexually assaulted her. The abuse did not end there. According to the police, Chauhan proceeded to rape the girl multiple times, using threats to silence her and prevent her from revealing the ordeal to anyone. The victim’s mother finally filed a complaint at the Adajan police station on February 12, 2025.

The Adajan police meticulously built a formidable case against the accused, ensuring a speedy trial. On behalf of the government, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Dipesh Dave presented a compelling argument, backed by the testimony of 10 witnesses and 29 pieces of documentary evidence. Central to the prosecution’s case were the victim’s own brave testimony and crucial medical evidence that corroborated her account.

The defense attempted to discredit the case, arguing that there were no eyewitnesses to the crime and that a friendly relationship existed between the victim and the accused. They also highlighted the delay in filing the complaint and the absence of certain forensic evidence in the FSL report.

However, the court was unswayed by these arguments. In its verdict, the court emphasized the victim’s minor status and the accused’s mature age of 22. It noted that the accused knowingly committed a heinous crime against a minor. The court underscored the growing prevalence of such crimes in society, stating that a strict and exemplary punishment was necessary to deter future offenders and protect children.

“This is a landmark judgment that validates the efforts of our police force and the prosecution,” said a source close to the investigation. “It shows that our judicial system will not tolerate such predatory behavior and that justice will be served, no matter how long it takes.”