Overview
- On January 17, a Rajkot special POCSO court sentenced Ramsinh Dudva to death for the December 4 assault on a seven-year-old after convicting him on January 12.
- Judge V.A. Rana conducted day-to-day proceedings as police moved from a December 8–9 arrest to a December 19 chargesheet, completing the process in about 40 days.
- Forensic findings, including DNA from hair linking the accused and the victim’s blood on a seized iron rod, along with call records and testimony, anchored the prosecution.
- The court ordered Rs 7 lakh in compensation for the Rajkot survivor, with officials noting that counseling and medical support are ongoing.
- In a separate ruling on January 16, a Mehsana special court gave Satyanarayan Goswami 30 years for abducting and raping a 15-year-old and ordered Rs 1 lakh compensation as state leaders reiterated zero tolerance.