2 from Bengal, Bangladesh get jail for trafficking, rape of minors

Faruq was held guilty under Sections 143(1) (f), 144(1) and 54 of the BNS and under Section 4 & 5 of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

The court also awarded Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the 15-year-old victim and Rs 75,000 to the 17-year-old victim under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme.

The court ordered that since the 15-year-old victim is still a minor, 80% of the compensation would be deposited as a fixed deposit in a nationalised bank till she attained majority, and the rest paid to the joint account of her and her mother. The 17-year-old victim had since turned adult and she is to be paid the full amount of compensation. However, there is a lack of clarity on how the compensation will be paid to the victims who are no longer in India.
Investigation Officers (IO) Inspectors I N Ghasura and SJ Jadeja told The Indian Express that the victims and their mother were deported to Bangladesh in December 2024 after their statements were recorded before a magistrate.  The officers said that the payment of compensation will be given to the foreign victims after discussion with the government.

2024 case

The DCB Crime Branch Police Station, Ahmedabad, had received private information that Mandal and Faruq  were running a child prostitution racket in the Vastral area of the city.
According to the complaint filed by PSI YJ Anjariya on behalf of the State, the Crime Branch raided the residence of the accused on August 21, 2024, and found two women, a two-year-old child and two teenage girls.

While the 27-year-old woman was found to be Mandal’s wife and the infant their child, the 40-year-old woman and her two minor daughters were identified as residents of Bangladesh.

Mandal was arrested on August 21, 2024 and Faruq on August 29.