‘Clearly a love affair, but…’: Gujarat man gets 20 years in jail in POCSO case

'Clearly a love affair, but.': Gujarat man gets 20 years in jail in POCSO case The court created the observation while dealing with the circumstances of the relationship and the question of victim compensation.

Key points

• 3 min read Vadodara Updated: Sep 29, 2026 07: 26 AM IST.
• The case arises from a complaint registered at a police station in Vadodara city in March 2025.
• The court created the observation while dealing with the circumstances of the relationship and the question of victim compensation.

Meanwhile, the case arises from a complaint registered at a police station in Vadodara city in March 2025. (Source: File/ Representational).

Notably, a special POCSO Court in Vadodara described the relationship between a young man and a teenage, minor girl as "clearly a 'love affair' and 'consensual relationship'", but held that her being a minor left the court "with no alternative" but to punish him under the POCSO Act, sentencing him to 20 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the court created the observation while dealing with the circumstances of the relationship and the question of victim compensation. "This case is clearly a 'love affair' and 'consensual relationship', " the court observed, but continued that as the girl was below 18, the accused therefore had to be punished under the law.

Taken together, the developments around 'Clearly a love affair, but.': Gujarat man gets 20 years in jail point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.