Delhi HC Upholds 10-Year Sentence in Minor's Rape Case

New Delhi, July 1 (PTI) — In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has upheld the 10-year imprisonment of a man found guilty of raping a minor, underscoring the gravity of offenses involving minors. Justice Amit Mahajan concurred with the trial court's decision, emphasizing that, despite the seemingly consensual nature of the relationship between the 20-year-old man and the 15-year-old survivor, it constituted rape due to her minor status at the time of the incident.

Confirming the trial court's 2023 decision, Justice Mahajan rejected the man's appeal against his conviction and the imposed 10-year sentence. The high court emphasized that the evidence presented by the prosecution was compelling, and the accused failed to prove that the survivor’s account was false.

The court acknowledged that the man did not contest the minor's age and noted that the trial court, while sentencing, had taken into account the mitigating circumstances, such as the accused's young age and status as a first-time offender. However, the "seriousness of the offense" could not be disregarded, and the 10-year term remained the minimum penalty stipulated by law, in line with the crime's severity.

The case originated from a kidnapping report lodged in 2017 at Samaypur Badli Police Station by the girl's father, who reported her missing when she did not return home from school. Approximately one month later, authorities located her and the accused in Ballabgarh, Haryana.

The girl recounted that she met the accused, a relative, at her school. He promised to return her home by afternoon after visiting Kalkaji Temple. Instead, he allegedly took her to his house, where he provided her with a spiked beverage, causing her to lose consciousness. When she awoke, she found herself unclothed.

The man purportedly coerced her by threatening to shame her family and continued to rape her repeatedly until law enforcement rescued her on April 28, 2017. The accused denied all allegations, asserting his innocence throughout the proceedings.

In its verdict, the high court noted that minor discrepancies in the survivor's testimony were insufficient to dismiss it entirely. The court maintained that her statements carried sufficient credibility to ascertain that sexual relations had occurred between the accused and the victim.

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