In Brief
A man claimed to be a juvenile at the time of committing a serious crime (car snatching with murder in 2011) and relied on school records showing his birth date as May 1993. The trial court accepted his plea based on an ossification medical test. However, the High Court set this aside, noting the family register showed his birth year as 1990. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal, holding that while the Juvenile Justice Act is beneficial legislation, its protections cannot extend to those who submit dubious, procured documents. The medical test, the school certificate (issued by a school that had relocated), and the belated birth certificate were all unreliable. The family register, though a statutory document, was properly considered by the High Court. The appellant could not benefit from juvenile protection due to his unclean conduct."
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