In Brief
A 19-year-old man was convicted under Sections 363, 366, and 376 IPC for abduction and rape of a girl under 16 who had voluntarily accompanied him in what was a consensual love affair. The trial court imposed two years nine months imprisonment, noting it was a case involving young adolescents. The High Court enhanced the sentence to seven years. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the consensual nature of the relationship, voluntary departure by the girl, absence of force or threat, and youth of both parties constituted valid special reasons for the trial court's lesser sentence. The appellant was ordered released forthwith."
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.