A Small Step in the Right Direction

In September 2015, the police and our team rescued 15-year-old Savira from a brothel in Sangli. The police arrested 35-year-old Saru, the brothel keeper. In 2015, Saru spent 26 days in jail and then he was released.

On April 29, 2026, after 10.5 years of the case being presented in court, the judge in the Court of Session in Sangli finally reached a verdict. Saru, now 45, was convicted as per section 282 (2) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Section 4 of Immoral trafficking prevention act 1956. Saru was charged with a Rs. 1000 ($10.50) fine and one year rigorous imprisonment.

While we are grateful for a conviction, the punishment scarcely fits the crime. Savira, now 25, was forced into a life that was not of her choosing. She suffered the trauma of being raped multiple times while her young developing body was exploited for other people's gain. This judgment is a mere slap on the wrist, and borders on justice denied considering the 10.5 year wait for this conviction. But this conviction still sends a signal to perpetrators and it is a small step in the right direction.