Bombay HC reduces life term of rape convict to 12 years, cites his age at time of crime, essay on Gandhiji

The Bombay High Court has reduced the beingness condemnation of a man, convicted for raping a insignificant girl, to 12 years, taking enactment of his young age, agelong incarceration and reformative efforts successful prison, including information successful an effort programme connected Mahatma Gandhi.

A Bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Sandesh Patil, successful its February 2 order, a transcript of which was made disposable connected Tuesday (February 10, 2026), upheld the condemnation of the antheral successful the 2016 offence, but noted the beingness condemnation imposed connected him deserves to beryllium reduced.

The Bench passed the bid connected an entreaty filed by the convict, challenging the beingness condemnation imposed connected him by a peculiar Pocso court.

The convict was 20 years aged astatine the clip of the offence, had nary anterior transgression record, had been successful custody since December 2016, and was not released adjacent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court noted.

The Bench besides considered certificates showing his information successful situation acquisition activities, including an effort contention and a programme studying the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi.

Taking into relationship these reformative factors against the seriousness of the crime, the Bench held, "In our opinion, the condemnation of 12 years would conscionable the ends of justice." The play which the convict has already spent successful jailhouse volition beryllium acceptable disconnected against the reduced sentence, it added.

The prosecution lawsuit was that connected December 9, 2016, the victim— past aged five— went to a neighbour's location to fetch water, wherever the accused sexually assaulted her.

The frightened kid instantly informed astir the incidental to her mother, who confronted the accused earlier the household approached the constabulary with a complaint. The unfortunate aboriginal testified successful the proceedings tribunal astatine the property of eight.

The HC recovered the insignificant girl's grounds reliable and consistent, noting she had narrated the incidental intelligibly and without tutoring.