In Brief
The appellant was convicted by the trial court and the High Court for kidnapping a minor girl from a Scheduled Caste, sexual assault, and criminal intimidation under the IPC, POCSO Act, and SC/ST Act. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction, finding the victim's age (DoB 15.09.2004) established through school records and corroborating witness testimony. Medical evidence proved forcible intercourse. The Court held that post-2016 amendment to the SC/ST Act, knowledge of the victim's caste suffices for conviction. The Court also clarified that declaring a witness hostile does not render evidence unreliable if corroborated. All sentences, including life imprisonment under the SC/ST Act, were upheld as concurrent and justified.
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