Gujarat Reports 1,785 POCSO Verdicts, 908 Life Sentences Since 2022

A life sentence within 72 hours of a charge sheet being filed has put Gujarat’s handling of child sexual offence cases in focus, with the state government reporting 1,785 judgments under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act since 2022.

According to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office, the judgments delivered between 2022 and August 2026 included 908 life sentences and 16 death sentences.

The government attributed the pace of case disposal to faster investigations, close monitoring and fast-track courts, describing its approach to crimes against children as one of “zero tolerance”.

Kalol court delivers sentence within 72 hours

A Special POCSO Court in Kalol sentenced a 42-year-old man to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life in a case involving the abduction and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.

According to the government release, the sentence came just 72 hours after police filed the charge sheet.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi credited the police investigation and the judiciary’s handling of the case for the swift outcome.

“Reaching a verdict within just 72 hours of the filing of a charge sheet is the result of the excellent and scientific investigation carried out by the Gujarat Police and the strict and commendable approach of the judiciary,” he said.

Sanghavi said the government’s aim was to secure stringent punishment for offenders and speedy justice for victims and their families.

Judgments rise, with 346 delivered this year

The number of POCSO judgments rose from 194 in 2022 to 499 in 2025, according to the official figures.

In the first eight months of 2026, courts delivered 346 judgments, including 241 life sentences and two death sentences. The CMO said these outcomes reflected stronger investigation and prosecution efforts across the state.

Police focus on faster charge sheets. Director General of Police G.S. Malik said each POCSO case was being monitored to ensure prompt filing of charge sheets and movement to fast-track courts.

Investigations, he said, were guided by a three-pronged approach of “thorough investigation, strict action and speedy justice”, while maintaining sensitivity towards victims.

According to Malik, police are filing charge sheets within 45 days in most cases.

The government’s figures show that charge sheets were filed within one to 15 days in 140 POCSO cases over the reported period. Another 1,339 cases reached that stage within 16 to 30 days, while charge sheets were filed within 31 to 45 days in 5,463 cases.

With inputs from ANI