RAJKOT: A court in Dhoraji town, located in Gujarat’s Rajkot district, has declared a 22-year-old man guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl, even though his DNA did not match that of her fetus. The court’s decision was based on other available evidence and the testimony of the survivor. Additionally, the court has instructed the Rajkot Superintendent of Police (SP) to carry out a departmental inquiry into the investigating officer’s (IO) handling of the case, particularly regarding the failure to investigate two other suspects who were identified as her friends in the complaint made by the girl’s aunt. Himkar Singh, SP of Rajkot, confirmed to TOI, “As per the court’s directive, I have assigned ASP Simran Bharadwaj to oversee the departmental inquiry against the IO of this case.” The convicted individual has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In July 2024, the survivor’s aunt had lodged a complaint at the Bhayavadar police station, alleging that the accused had raped the girl for over two years “under the guise of romance,” leading to her pregnancy. The girl provided testimony detailing multiple instances of sexual assault over this two-year period, culminating in her giving birth at a government hospital in Junagadh.
The additional public prosecutor, Kartikey Parekh, maintained, “…Even after receiving the DNA report, the IO failed to take statements from the girl or her family members concerning the involvement of other alleged perpetrators. The survivor’s testimony should not be disregarded solely because of the DNA report’s discrepancy.” After considering both parties’ arguments, the court concluded: “The prosecution was successful in establishing that the accused committed the offense under BNS Sections 376 (3), 376 (2) (n), and under Pocso.”
