Gujarat Court Sentences Two Men for Trafficking and Rape of Bangladeshi Minors

A Special POCSO court in Ahmedabad has convicted and sentenced two men for the trafficking and sexual exploitation of two minor girls from Bangladesh. Sagar Milan Mandal of West Bengal was sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape and trafficking. Mahammad Faruq, a Bangladesh national, received a 14 year sentence for trafficking and exploitation. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The court found that the convicts lured a Bangladeshi woman and her daughters, aged 15 and 17, into India under the pretext of employment. The 15 year old girl was repeatedly raped, and both sisters were forced into sex work. The judgment, delivered by Special Judge Nita Hareshbhai Vasvelia on July 31, relied on medical evidence, ossification tests, and testimony from the victims and their mother.

The court awarded compensation under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme, granting 4 lakh rupees to the 15 year old victim and 75,000 rupees to the 17 year old victim. Because the younger victim is still a minor, 80 percent of her compensation will be held in a fixed deposit until she reaches adulthood. Investigation officers stated that the victims and their mother were deported to Bangladesh in December 2024, and the government is being consulted regarding the payment of compensation to foreign nationals.

While both reports cover the legal outcomes, they differ in their broader framing. The center leaning report focuses on the specific legal charges and the logistics of victim compensation. The center right leaning report frames the event as part of a larger crackdown on undocumented immigration and organized crime, noting that the investigation led to six additional reports and helped dismantle a wider trafficking network.