A Special POCSO Court in Gandhinagar has sentenced Prahlad Morwadia to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the abduction and rape of a minor girl. The verdict was delivered a year after the crime was reported at the Mansa police station.
Morwadia, a resident of Lalpur village in Banaskantha, had a "love affair" with the victim, who is from Rajpur village in the Mansa area. According to case records, on July 15, 2024, he "lured" the girl to Lalpur and "repeatedly assaulted" her in a field.
The case began after the victim&rsquo;s father filed a complaint with Mansa police. The trial was presided over by Second Additional Sessions Judge J N Thakkar. Government prosecutor Sunil Pandya presented the testimonies of the victim and other witnesses. Pandya "stressed that the accused had committed a grave offence against a child" and highlighted "the growing incidence of such crimes," urging the court to "impose the severest possible punishment."
The court accepted the prosecution's case and sentenced Morwadia to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under charges of rape and provisions of the POCSO Act. He was also fined Rs 30,000. Additionally, the court directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 4 lakh in compensation to the survivor.

Man Gets 20-Year Jail Term for Raping Minor in Guj

Banaskantha man convicted of raping minor girl, fined and jailed for 20 years

Man Gets 20-Year Jail Term for Raping Minor in Guj

Banaskantha man convicted of raping minor girl, fined and jailed for 20 years

August 30, 2025 | 21:27 IST