In Brief
A 15-year-old boy was convicted of murder, rape, and related offences and sentenced to death. He later claimed juvenility on appeal. The Supreme Court held that the boy was indeed 15 years 4 months 20 days old on the offence date, making him a child under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The Court upheld the conviction but set aside the sentence. It held that once a child is identified, the maximum sentence is 3 years. Since he had already served over 5 years, the Court ordered his immediate release. The judgment clarified that finding juvenility does not vitiate conviction; it only affects sentencing and requires compliance with child welfare provisions.
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