In Brief
A 15-year-old boy was convicted of rape under Section 376(2)(g) IPC and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The High Court rejected his claim of juvenility. The Supreme Court held that once a claim of juvenility is raised, even after final conviction, it must be determined under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. School certificates showing his date of birth (12.07.1984), verified through witness testimony and school records, conclusively proved he was a juvenile at the time of the offence. The Court set aside the conviction and directed his immediate release, as he had already served six years—exceeding the three-year maximum permissible for juveniles.
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