Additional Sessions Judge Ashwinkumar K. Shah sentenced 10 years of rigorous imprisonment along with 5 years imprisonment for the crime of kidnapping and a fine of Rs.5000 to a 41-year-old married man for kidnapping a 16-year-old girl and impregnating her, four years ago.
On October 3, 2018, Limbayat Police registered a case against the 41-year-old married man Vikram Ratilal Chunara, living at Chunara Mohalla opposite Khambhat Railway Station in Anand district for violation of the POCSO Act. He was charged with the crime of running away with a 16-year-old girl with the lure of marriage and making her pregnant by what constitutes rape in the eyes of law as the being minor.
Vikram Chunara ran away with the girl on October 2, 2018, and had sexual relations with her resulting in her pregnancy. The girl gave birth to a baby girl. A DNA test confirmed the accused Vikram Chunara is the biological father of the child.
During the proceedings of the case, Tejashkumar A. Pancholi from the government presented around 25 witnesses and documentary evidence and maintained that the accused was married and the victim was only 16 years old.
The defence lawyer argued that the child was born out of a genuine love affair between the two. They said that due to marital discord and unwillingness to have the child, the girl and her family are making false complaints.
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