In Brief
A minor girl was allegedly lured on a motorcycle and sexually assaulted near a culvert; third-party intervention prevented completion. The High Court downgraded charges from attempted rape to lesser offences, treating the conduct as mere "preparation" rather than "attempt." The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that overt acts coupled with criminal intent, interrupted only by external intervention, constitute "attempt" to commit rape. The Court restored the original rape charges and directed the National Judicial Academy to constitute an expert committee to develop comprehensive guidelines for judges on handling sexual offence cases involving vulnerable victims with sensitivity and compassion.
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