Thane Court in Mumbai has sentenced a 36-year-old woman to two years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping a toddler for begging in the Raigad district last year.
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.
Magistrate Chopda further directed that the recovered fine amount be allocated to the family of the toddler, a two-year-old boy at the time of the incident, as compensation. Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Jaishree V Korde informed the court that on June 16, 2022, the toddler’s family sought refuge on a footpath near Panvel railway station due to heavy rains.
During this period, the boy’s parents briefly left to attend to nature’s call, only to discover upon their return that the child was missing. Subsequently, Panvel police located the child in the possession of the accused, who allegedly kidnapped the toddler for begging. The police successfully rescued the child, returning him to his family and subsequently arresting the accused. The police registered an offense under section 363A of the IPC (kidnapping or maiming a minor for purposes of begging).
APP Korde highlighted that the court examined 12 prosecution witnesses to substantiate the charges. In the court’s order, Magistrate Chopda acknowledged that the prosecution effectively proved all charges against the accused.
Magistrate Chopda’s order stated, “The informant and his family had a dreadful night on 16.06.2022. First of all, they were in misery to find a suitable place to sleep. The kidnapping of Shubham (the victim) further added to their misery.”
The magistrate emphasized the gravity of the accused’s actions, describing it as a heinous crime that not only traumatized the informant’s family but also instilled fear in the minds of the townspeople. Magistrate Chopda underscored the endangerment to the lives and security of travelers when a child is kidnapped from a location like a railway station.
The order emphasized that the accused’s actions displayed a lack of respect for humanity and the institution of family. Magistrate Chopda asserted that snatching a toddler from his parents amounted to a heinous crime, warranting a stern response. Consequently, the court sentenced the accused to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a Rs 10,000 fine, deeming it necessary to meet the ends of justice.
