908 life, 16 death sentences in POCSO cases since 2022, says Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi

Between 2022 and August 2026, out of the 1,785 judgments registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Gujarat, 908 resulted in life sentences, while 16 received death sentences, as stated by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Thursday. The statement does not disclose the number of convictions or the cases filed against these judgments.

In the first eight months of 2026 alone, the Gujarat courts delivered 346 judgments in POCSO cases, with 241 life sentences and two death sentences handed down. A recent case saw a 42-year-old man convicted by a Special POCSO Court in Gandhinagar and sentenced to life imprisonment after the trial was completed within 72 hours following the filing of the charge sheet.

This case involved the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. Sanghavi emphasized that there can be no mercy or leniency for anyone who harms girls in Gujarat, highlighting the state government's commitment to establishing fast-track courts and a robust legal framework for POCSO cases under the leadership of CM Bhupendra Patel.

Gujarat Police DGP GS Malik confirmed that investigations into such cases are carried out with utmost sensitivity while ensuring speed and strictness, employing a three-pronged approach of thorough investigation, strict action, and speedy justice to provide timely justice to victims and their families.