Rajkot: A trial court in Gandhidham, Kutch, convicted a 30-year-old man for kidnapping and raping a minor girl in 2012 and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on Saturday.
Additional sessions judge R G Devdhara pronounced the verdict in the case in absence of accused Shiva Channa, a native of Odisha, who is out on bail.
According to case details, in April 2012, Channa, who was working in Gandhidham, eloped with a girl who was 17-year-old then by promising marriage. Her parents lodged the complaint of kidnapping. The accused was arrested and after medical check-up of the girl it was found that she was allegedly raped. Channa was arrested based on the complaint and trail began against him. During the course of trial, Channa got bail. However, when the court summoned him to be present in court on October 30, 2017, he did not remain present and was declared absconding by the court.