In a notable judicial development, the Allahabad High Court has revised the punishment for a man convicted of raping an 8-year-old girl, reducing his life imprisonment sentence to 14 years.
This decision aligns with Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), reflecting a judicial consideration of the accused’s potential for reform.
The bench, comprising Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Gautam Chowdhary, was adjudicating a Criminal Appeal filed by the accused challenging the original verdict.
The lower court had sentenced him to life imprisonment with an additional fine under Section 376 IPC and 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The High Court’s ruling emphasized the absence of prior offenses by the accused and the possibility of rehabilitation.
“We find no grounds that justify an excessive punishment in the context of this case,” the bench stated.
They acknowledged that the accused’s prior clean record and the potential for reform influenced their decision to mitigate the sentence.
Case Background
The father of the victim reported that the accused lured his daughter away by promising her a toffee, initiating the case.
The assault was witnessed by the victim’s family, leading to immediate intervention and medical treatment.
Despite the severity of the crime, the Court took into account the principle of reformative justice.
The High Court further referenced several precedents in its judgment, including the landmark case of Babu v State of UP and the Supreme Court’s observations in Mohd. Glasuddin vs State of AP.
These precedents underline the shift from retributive to reformative justice, advocating for rehabilitation over harsh punishment.
The Court echoed the view that modern penology should focus on reshaping rather than merely punishing offenders.
While the Court upheld the 10-year sentence under the POCSO Act, it reduced the life imprisonment term to 14 years, aligning with the reformation-oriented approach of Indian criminal jurisprudence.
The revised sentence however reflects a broader judicial trend towards balancing justice with the potential for offender rehabilitation, aiming to reintegrate individuals into society rather than solely exacting retribution.
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