In Brief
An illiterate man convicted of murder at age 14 was sentenced to death despite repeatedly claiming juvenility throughout trial, appeal, and post-conviction proceedings. Courts relied on his bank account statement to assume adulthood, ignoring school birth certificates documenting he was 14 at the time of the crime. The Supreme Court held that the plea of juvenility can be raised at any stage, even after conviction and presidential clemency, and must be determined under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. Documentary evidence takes priority over circumstantial facts. The Court set aside the death sentence while maintaining conviction, emphasizing courts' constitutional duty to actively seek truth and ensure rehabilitation of juveniles in conflict with law.
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