In Brief
In this criminal appeal from 2016, a senior police officer (appellant) was convicted under Section 354 IPC for molesting a 15-year-old girl (Ms. Ruchika) in 1990. The victim later committed suicide in 1993. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction based primarily on the credible eyewitness testimony of another girl present at the incident. The Court rejected the appellant's claims that signatures were forged, holding that expert handwriting evidence alone cannot override direct evidence from credible witnesses. The Court also found the 6-day reporting delay justified by the victim's age, fear of the powerful appellant, and social reluctance. While confirming guilt, the Court reduced the 1.5-year sentence to time already served, citing the appellant's advanced age and health as mitigating factors."
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