A local court has sentenced a 36-year-old woman to two years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping a toddler for begging last year in Raigad district, noting the accused needs to be dealt with an iron hand.
First Class Judicial Magistrate (Railway Court) at Kalyan in Thane district, Swayam S Chopda, also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the accused, Shevanta Eknath Katkari, a resident of Vazegaon Katkarwadi village in Panvel taluka of Raigad district.
The judgement was delivered on December 13 and a copy of it was made available on Friday.
The magistrate also directed that the fine amount so recovered from the accused be given to the family of the toddler, a boy aged two at the time of the incident, as compensation.
Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Jaishree V Korde told the court that on June 16, 2022, the toddler’s family took shelter on a footpath near Panvel railway station due to heavy rains.
After some time, the boy’s parents went to answer nature’s call and found him missing when they returned, Korde said.
The child was later found by the Panvel police in possession of the accused, who according to them, had kidnapped the toddler for begging. The police rescued the child and handed him to over to his family.
The police registered an offence under section 363A of the IPC (kidnapping or maiming a minor for purposes of begging) and arrested the accused.
APP Korde said 12 prosecution witnesses were examined to prove the case.
She said in the order the magistrate noted that the prosecution has successfully proved all charges against the accused.
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In his order, Magistrate Chopda said, “The informant and his family had a dreadful night on 16.06.2022. First of all they were in misery to find suitable place to sleep. Kidnapping of Shubham (the victim) further added to their misery.”
The magistrate said the accused committed a heinous crime.
“This incident not not only shook the informant’s family, but also created a horror in the minds of people in the town. Kidnapping a child of 2 years from a place like railway station endangers the life and security of travellers. This act committed by the accused demonstrates her least respect towards mankind and the institution of family. Snatching a toddler from his patents is no less than a heinous crime. For such act, the accused needs to be dealt with an iron hand,” noted the magistrate.
Sentencing the accused with rigorous imprisonment of two years and directing her to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 would meet the ends of justice, said the court.
