Deepak Dewangan vs State Of Chhattisgarh on 24 April, 2026

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    ADVERTISEMENT

    Chattisgarh High Court

    Deepak Dewangan vs State Of Chhattisgarh on 24 April, 2026

    Author: Ramesh Sinha

    Bench: Ramesh Sinha

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                                                                           2026:CGHC:18937-DB
                                                                                             NAFR
    BABLU
    RAJENDRA
    BHANARKAR
    Digitally signed by
    BABLU RAJENDRA
    BHANARKAR
                                    HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
    Date: 2026.04.27
    10:14:47 +0530
    
    
    
    
                                                     CRA No. 976 of 2024
                          Deepak Dewangan S/o Bhagwat Dewangan Aged About 31 Years R/o
                          Rikando Basti Atal Aawas, Chingrajpara Police Station Sarkanda,
                          District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
                                                                                       ...Appellant
                                                              versus
    
                          State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station, Sarkanda, District :
                          Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
                                                                                    ... Respondent

    For Appellant : Mr.Rajesh Roshan Singh, Advocate
    For Respondent : Mr.Saumya Rai, Deputy Government
    Advocate
    For Objector : None present

    Hon’ble Shri Justice Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
    Hon’ble Shri Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge
    Per Ramesh Sinha, CJ

    SPONSORED

    24/04/2026

    1. Mr. Amit Kumar Sharma, learned counsel appearing for the

    objector in the present case, has not appeared despite repeated

    calls.

    2. Though the matter is listed for hearing on I.A.No.02/2024

    application for suspension of sentence and grant of bail, but
    2

    considering the fact that the appellant is in jail since 3.4.2022, this

    Court proceeds to hear the appeal finally.

    3. The criminal appeal arises out of the judgment of conviction and

    order of sentence dated 12.01.2024 passed by the Additional

    Sessions Judge/First F.T.S.C, Bilaspur in Special Sessions Case

    (POCSO Act) No.62/2022, whereby the appellant has been

    convicted and sentenced in the following manner :

       Sl.         Conviction                        Sentence
       No.
        1.   Under       Section RI for 3 years and fine of Rs.100/-, in
             363 of the IPC      default of payment of fine to further
                                 undergo imprisonment for 10 days.
        2.   Under       Section RI for 5 years and fine of Rs.200/-, in
             366 of the IPC      default of payment of fine to further
                                 undergo imprisonment for 20 days.
        3.   Under       Section RI for 20 years and fine of Rs.500/-, in
    

    376(3) of the IPC default of payment of fine to further
    undergo imprisonment for 50 days.

    4. Under Section 5(l) RI for 20 years and fine of Rs.500/-, in
    / 6 of Protection default of payment of fine to further
    of Children from undergo imprisonment for 50 days.
    Sexual Offences
    Act, 2012

    4. The prosecution story, in brief, is that on the night of 16.01.2022

    the complainant and her family members had dinner and went to

    sleep. At approximately 12 A.M., the complainant woke up to go to

    the bathroom and saw that her daughter/victim was not at home.

    When the victim was not found after searching everywhere in the
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    house, in the neighbourhood and among relatives and nearby, the

    complainant/mother of the victim lodged the FIR in Crime

    No.66/2022 for offence under Section 363 of the IPC at Police

    Station Sarkanda, District Bilaspur vide Ex.P-1 on the basis of

    missing report vide Ex.P-37. Spot map was prepared by the

    investigating officer vide Ex.P-2. Recovery panchnama was

    prepared vide Ex.P-3. Statement of the victim was recorded under

    Section 161 CrPC vide Ex.P-4. Consent for medical examination

    was obtained vide Ex.P-5. Statement of the victim under Section

    164 CrPC was recorded by the Judicial Magistrate First Class,

    Bilaspur vide Ex.P-7 and P-7A. MLC of the victim was conducted

    vide Ex.P-11 in which the doctor has found no injury. Patwari also

    prepared the spot map vide Ex.P-14. The appellant was arrested

    on 02.04.2022 vide arrest memo Ex.P-16. The appellant was also

    examined by the doctor vide Ex.P-18 in which the appellant was

    found capable to commit intercourse. Underwear and vaginal

    slides of the victim were seized vide Ex.P-19. Certified copy of

    dakhil kharij register was seized vide Ex.P-27C. Entry form of the

    victim was seized vide Ex.P-30C. Underwear of the appellant was

    seized vide Ex.P-36. Seized articles were sent to FSL for chemical

    examination and as per FSL report (Ex.P-42), semen stains and

    human sperm were found on underwear Article A seized from the

    victim and underwear Article C seized from the appellant. After

    completion of investigation, the charge-sheet was filed before the

    jurisdictional criminal Court.

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    5. The trial Court has framed charges against the appellant under

    Sections 363, 366, 376(3), 376(2)(n) of the IPC and Section 5(l)/6

    of POCSO Act. The appellant abjured his guilt and pleaded

    innocence.

    6. In order to establish the charge against the appellant, the

    prosecution examined 18 witnesses. The statement of the

    appellant under Section 313 of the CrPC was also recorded in

    which he denied the material appearing against him and stated

    that he is innocent and he has been falsely implicated in the case.

    After appreciation of evidence available on record, the learned

    trail Court has convicted the accused/appellant and sentenced

    him as mentioned in para 3 of the judgment. Hence, this appeal.

    7. Learned counsel for the appellant argued that the prosecution has

    failed to prove the case against the appellant beyond reasonable

    doubts. There is no legally admissible evidence with regard to the

    age of the victim that on the date of incident she was minor and

    less than 18 years of age. In absence of examination of author of

    the dakhil-kharij register, the same cannot be taken into

    consideration for determination of age of the victim. Dakhil-kharij

    register is a weak type of evidence. No any Kotwari register or

    ossification report are produced by the prosecution to determine

    the actual age of the victim that on the date of incident she was

    below 18 years of age. It is further argued by the learned counsel

    for the appellant that the learned trial Court has failed to
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    appreciate that the victim (PW-2) lived with the appellant without

    any protest for the period of more than one month and looking to

    her conduct, it is clearly evident that she has willing and

    consenting party, therefore, the impugned conviction of the

    appellant being unsustainable in law, deserves to be quashed. He

    also submits that if the entire case of the prosecution is taken as it

    is, then also the alleged offences are not made out against the

    appellant and he is entitled for acquittal.

    8. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State opposes the

    submissions made by learned counsel for the appellant and

    submits that the victim was minor and below 18 years of age at

    the time of incident, which is proved by the School dakhil-kharij

    register Ex.P-27(c) which contains the date of birth of the victim as

    6.6.2006. The dakhil-kharij register is admissible piece of

    evidence to determine the age of the victim. Therefore, there is no

    illegality or infirmity in the findings of the learned trial Court. The

    victim was abducted by the appellant and kept away from the

    lawful guardianship. The appellant kept her in illegal confinement

    for a considerable period and forcefully committed sexual

    intercourse with her. As such, the impugned judgment needs no

    interference.

    9. We have heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused

    the record of the trial Court with utmost circumspection.
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    10. In order to consider the age of the victim, we have examined the

    evidence available on record produced by the prosecution. The

    prosecution relied upon the School dakhil-kharij register

    Ex.P-17(c) which is sought to be proved by PW-9 Retired

    Headmistress Smt.Ratna Tiwari. Smt.Ratna Tiwari (PW-9) has

    stated in para 2 of her deposition that on 28.02.22, in Crime No.

    66/22 of Police Station Sarkanda under Sections 363, 366, 376(2)

    IPC and Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act, the original dakhil

    kharij register demand letter Ex.P. 25 was sent, on which her

    signature is as recipient as part A. On 21.03.22, when the original

    dakhil kharij register related to the victim was produced by her, it

    was seized in front of witnesses and seizure memo Ex.P.-26 was

    prepared, on which her signature is on part A. In para 3 of her

    deposition, she stated that in the dakhil kharij register, number

    843, the victim’s name, parents’ names, caste, address, and the

    victim’s date of birth (06.06.2006) are written in words and figures.

    The date of admission is 23.05.18, in the sixth grade. In para 5 of

    her cross-examination, she admitted that she has not entered the

    entry regarding the victim in the Dakhil Kharij register. She denied

    she cannot tell on the basis of which document the entry

    regarding the victim has been made. She voluntarily said that it

    has been entered on the basis of the admission application which

    she has brought today. In para 6 of her cross-examination, she

    admitted that she cannot disclose what documents the victim’s

    parents provided regarding her birth. She admitted that Ex.P-30
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    does not mention the victim’s birth documents. She admitted that

    she cannot explain the basis on which the victim’s parents

    recorded her date of birth at the primary school. She denied that

    the police did not seize anything from her.

    11. At the time of admission of the victim in the school, the birth

    certificate or Kotwari Panji have not been produced by her father

    and on the oral information given by father of the victim the entry

    was made in the School dakhil kharij register. No other evidence

    of birth certificate or Kotwari register or ossification report are

    produced by the prosecution to prove the actual age of the victim.

    12.After considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case

    and evidence available on record, it emerges that the prosecution

    could not produce the clinching and legally admissible evidence

    with respect to the date of birth or age of the victim so as to hold

    that on the date of incident she was minor and below 18 years of

    age. Only on the basis of school dakhil-kharij register it would not

    be safe to hold that the victim was minor on the date of incident.

    The statement of the victim, as also the statement of Smt.Ratna

    Tiwari (PW-9) are contradictory to each other and does not inspire

    confidence upon this Court to hold that the date of birth of the

    victim is 06.06.2006.

    13. In the matter of Ravinder Singh Gorkhi Vs. State of UP, (2006)

    5 SCC 584, relying upon its earlier judgment in case of Birad Mal
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    Singhvi Vs. Anand Purohit, 1988 supp. SCC 604, the Hon’ble

    Supreme Court has held as under :

    “26. To render a document admissible under Section 35,
    three conditions must be satisfied, firstly, entry that is
    relied on must be one in a public or other official book,
    register or record; secondly, it must be an entry stating a
    fact in issue or relevant fact; and thirdly, it must be made
    by a public servant in discharge of his official duty, or any
    other person in performance of a duty specially enjoined
    by law. An entry relating to date of birth made in the
    school register is relevant and admissible under Section
    35
    of the Act but the entry regarding the age of a person
    in a school register is of not much evidentiary value to
    prove the age of the person in the absence of the
    material on which the age was recorded.”

    14. In the matter of Alamelu and Another Vs. State, represented by

    Inspector of Police, (2011) 2 SCC 385, the Hon’ble Supreme

    Court has held that the transfer certificate which is issued by

    government school and is duly signed by the Headmaster would

    be admissible in evidence under Section 35 of the Evidence Act

    1872. However, the admissibility of such a document would be of

    not much evidentiary value to prove the age of the prosecutrix in

    the absence of any material on the basis of which the age was

    recorded. It was observed as under

    “40. Undoubtedly, the transfer certificate, Ex.P16 indicates
    that the girl’s date of birth was 15th June, 1977. Therefore,
    even according to the aforesaid certificate, she would be
    above 16 years of age (16 years 1 month and 16 days) on
    the date of the alleged incident, i.e., 31st July, 1993. The
    transfer certificate has been issued by a Government School
    and has been duly signed by the Headmaster. Therefore, it
    9

    would be admissible in evidence under Section 35 of the
    Indian Evidence Act. However, the admissibility of such a
    document would be of not much evidentiary value to prove
    the age of the girl in the absence of the material on the basis
    of which the age was recorded.

    48. We may further notice that even with reference to
    Section 35 of the Indian Evidence Act, a public document
    has to be tested by applying the same standard in civil as
    well as criminal proceedings. In this context, it would be
    appropriate to notice the observations made by this Court in
    the case of Ravinder Singh Gorkhi Vs. State of U.P.4 held as
    follows:-

    “The age of a person as recorded in the school
    register or otherwise may be used for various
    purposes, namely, for obtaining admission; for
    obtaining an appointment; for contesting election;
    registration of marriage; obtaining a separate unit
    under the ceiling laws; and even for the purpose of
    litigating before a civil forum e.g. necessity of being
    represented in a court of law by a guardian or where a
    suit is filed on the ground that the plaintiff being a
    minor he was not appropriately represented therein or
    any transaction made on his behalf was void as he
    was a minor. A court of law for the purpose of
    determining the age of a (2006) 5 SCC 584 party to
    the lis, having regard to the provisions of Section 35
    of the Evidence Act will have to apply the same
    standard. No different standard can be applied in case
    of an accused as in a case of abduction or rape, or
    similar offence where the victim or the prosecutrix
    although might have consented with the accused, if
    on the basis of the entries made in the register
    maintained by the school, a judgment of conviction is
    recorded, the accused would be deprived of his
    constitutional right under Article 21 of the Constitution,
    as in that case the accused may unjustly be
    convicted.”

    15. In the matter of Rishipal Singh Solanki Vs. State of Uttar

    Pradesh & Others, (2022) 8 SCC 602, while considering various

    judgments, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has observed in para 33

    as under :

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    “33. What emerges on a cumulative consideration of the
    aforesaid catena of judgments is as follows:

    33.2.2. If an application is filed before the Court claiming
    juvenility, the provision of sub-section (2) of section 94 of the
    JJ Act, 2015 would have to be applied or read along with
    sub-section (2) of section 9 so as to seek evidence for the
    purpose of recording a finding stating the age of the person
    as nearly as may be.

    XXXX XXXX XXX

    33.3. That when a claim for juvenility is raised, the burden is
    on the person raising the claim to satisfy the Court to
    discharge the initial burden. However, the documents
    mentioned in Rule 12(3)(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) of the JJ Rules
    2007 made under the JJ Act, 2000 or sub-section (2) of
    section 94 of JJ Act, 2015, shall be sufficient for prima facie
    satisfaction of the Court. On the basis of the aforesaid
    documents a presumption of juvenility may be raised.

    33.4. The said presumption is however not conclusive proof
    of the age of juvenility and the same may be rebutted by
    contra evidence let in by the opposite side.

    33.5. That the procedure of an inquiry by a Court is not the
    same thing as declaring the age of the person as a juvenile
    sought before the JJ Board when the case is pending for
    trial before the concerned criminal court. In case of an
    inquiry, the Court records a prima facie conclusion but when
    there is a determination of age as per sub-section (2) of
    section 94 of 2015 Act, a declaration is made on the basis of
    evidence. Also the age recorded by the JJ Board shall be
    deemed to be the true age of the person brought before it.

    Thus, the standard of proof in an inquiry is different from that
    required in a proceeding where the determination and
    declaration of the age of a person has to be made on the
    basis of evidence scrutinised and accepted only if worthy of
    such acceptance.

    33.6. That it is neither feasible nor desirable to lay down an
    abstract formula to determine the age of a person. It has to
    be on the basis of the material on record and on
    appreciation of evidence adduced by the parties in each
    case.

    33.7 This Court has observed that a hypertechnical
    approach should not be adopted when evidence is adduced
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    on behalf of the accused in support of the plea that he was a
    juvenile.

    33.8. If two views are possible on the same evidence, the
    court should lean in favour of holding the accused to be a
    juvenile in borderline cases. This is in order to ensure that
    the benefit of the JJ Act, 2015 is made applicable to the
    juvenile in conflict with law. At the same time, the Court
    should ensure that the JJ Act, 2015 is not misused by
    persons to escape punishment after having committed
    serious offences.

    33.9. That when the determination of age is on the basis of
    evidence such as school records, it is necessary that the
    same would have to be considered as per Section 35 of the
    Indian Evidence Act, inasmuch as any public or official
    document maintained in the discharge of official duty would
    have greater credibility than private documents.

    33.10. Any document which is in consonance with public
    documents, such as matriculation certificate, could be
    accepted by the Court or the JJ Board provided such public
    document is credible and authentic as per the provisions of
    the Indian Evidence Act viz., section 35 and other
    provisions.

    33.11 Ossification Test cannot be the sole criterion for age
    determination and a mechanical view regarding the age of a
    person cannot be adopted solely on the basis of medical
    opinion by radiological examination. Such evidence is not
    conclusive evidence but only a very useful guiding factor to
    be considered in the absence of documents mentioned in
    Section 94(2) of the JJ Act, 2015.”

    16. Recently, in the matter of P. Yuvaprakash Vs. State represented

    by Inspector of Police, 2023 SCC Online SC 846, the Hon’ble

    Supreme Court has held in para 14 to 17 as under :

    “14. Section 94 (2)(iii) of the JJ Act clearly indicates that
    the date of birth certificate from the school or
    matriculation or equivalent certificate by the concerned
    examination board has to be firstly preferred in the
    absence of which the birth certificate issued by the
    Corporation or Municipal Authority or Panchayat and it is
    only thereafter in the absence of these such documents
    the age is to be determined through “an ossification test”

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    or “any other latest medical age determination test”

    conducted on the orders of the concerned authority, i.e.
    Committee or Board or Court. In the present case,
    concededly, only a transfer certificate and not the date of
    birth certificate or matriculation or equivalent certificate
    was considered. Ex. C1, i.e., the school transfer
    certificate showed the date of birth of the victim as
    11.07.1997. Significantly, the transfer certificate was
    produced not by the prosecution but instead by the court
    summoned witness, i.e., CW-1. The burden is always
    upon the prosecution to establish what it alleges;
    therefore, the prosecution could not have been fallen
    back upon a document which it had never relied upon.
    Furthermore, DW-3, the concerned Revenue Official
    (Deputy Tahsildar) had stated on oath that the records for
    the year 1997 in respect to the births and deaths were
    missing. Since it did not answer to the description of any
    class of documents mentioned in Section 94(2)(i) as it
    was a mere transfer certificate, Ex C-1 could not have
    been relied upon to hold that M was below 18 years at
    the time of commission of the offence.

    15. In a recent decision, in Rishipal Singh Solanki vs.
    State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.
    this court outlined the
    procedure to be followed in cases where age
    determination is required. The court was dealing with
    Rule 12 of the erstwhile Juvenile Justice Rules (which is
    in pari materia) with Section 94 of the JJ Act, and held as
    follows:

    “20. Rule 12 of the JJ Rules, 2007 deals with the
    procedure to be followed in determination of age.
    The juvenility of a person in conflict with law had to
    be decided prima facie on the basis of physical
    appearance, or documents, if available. But an
    inquiry into the determination of age by the Court or
    the JJ Board was by seeking evidence by
    obtaining: (i) the matriculation or equivalent
    certificates, if available and in the absence
    whereof; (ii) the date of birth certificate from the
    school (other than a play school) first attended; and
    in the absence whereof; (iii) the birth certificate
    given by a corporation or a municipal authority or a
    panchayat. Only in the absence of either (i), (ii) and

    (iii) above, the medical opinion could be sought
    from a duly constituted Medical Board to declare
    the age of the juvenile or child. It was also provided
    that while determination was being made, benefit
    could be given to the child or juvenile by
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    considering the age on lower side within the margin
    of one year.”

    16. Speaking about provisions of the Juvenile Justice
    Act
    , especially the various options in Section 94 (2) of
    the JJ Act, this court held in Sanjeev Kumar Gupta vs.
    The State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors
    that:

    “Clause (i) of Section 94 (2) places the date of birth
    certificate from the school and the matriculation or
    equivalent certificate from the 2021 (12) SCR 502
    [2019] 9 SCR 735 concerned examination board in
    the same category (namely (i) above). In the
    absence thereof category (ii) provides for obtaining
    the birth certificate of the corporation, municipal
    authority or panchayat. It is only in the absence of

    (i) and (ii) that age determination by means of
    medical analysis is provided. Section 94(2)(a)(i)
    indicates a significant change over the provisions
    which were contained in Rule 12(3)(a) of the Rules
    of 2007 made under the Act of 2000. Under Rule
    12(3)(a)(i) the matriculation or equivalent certificate
    was given precedence and it was only in the event
    of the certificate not being available that the date of
    birth certificate from the school first attended, could
    be obtained. In Section 94(2)(i) both the date of
    birth certificate from the school as well as the
    matriculation or equivalent certificate are placed in
    the same category.

    17. In Abuzar Hossain @ Gulam Hossain Vs. State of
    West Bengal
    , this court, through a three-judge bench,
    held that the burden of proving that someone is a juvenile
    (or below the prescribed age) is upon the person claiming
    it. Further, in that decision, the court indicated the
    hierarchy of documents that would be accepted in order
    of preference.”

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    17. Reverting to the facts of the present case and due consideration

    of the prosecution evidence, we find that no any clinching and

    legally admissible evidence have been brought by the prosecution

    to prove the fact that the victim was minor on the date of incident,

    yet the trial Court in the impugned judgment has held her minor,

    hence, we set aside the finding given by the trail Court that on the

    date of incident the victim was minor.

    18. So far as the issue of forceful sexual intercourse by the appellant

    upon the victim is concerned, we have carefully perused the

    statement of the victim recorded under Section 164 CrPC (Ex.P-

    7). In her 164 CrPC statement (Ex.P-7), the victim has stated that

    she is studying in Class 10. She has known Deepak Dewangan

    for the past two years. He used to visit his friend in their

    neighborhood. They met during that time. They used to talk and

    like each other. Deepak used to tell her that they would get

    married, and she started believing him. Deepak used to come to

    visit her and they would meet outside. On the night of 16.01.2022

    at 12 o’clock, he came to her house and lured her, promising to

    marry her and take her to Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. She went

    with him. He took her on a train from Bilaspur Railway Station to

    Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. In Shahdol, he took her to Birsinghpur

    Pali, and they rented a house in Birsinghpur Pali village. They

    lived like husband and wife. During this time Deepak had physical

    relations with her and they stayed there for about 1 month, during

    this time he continued to have physical relations with her. Then
    15

    they had a fight, she told the accused that she want to get

    married, then he told her that she is not of marriageable age yet.

    Then he refused to marry her and said that come, he will drop her

    at her home. After which, on 24.02.2022, he took her with him to

    Bilaspur station and left her there and ran away. Then at the

    station, she called her mother from someone else’s phone and at

    the railway station her mother came to pick me up, and she told

    her about the incident.

    19. In her 164 CrPC statement, she has not stated that the appellant

    allured or threatened her or used any force while travelling along

    with him and while making physical relationship with her against

    her will or consent.

    20. In para 2 of her evidence, the victim (PW-2) has stated that they

    used to live in Sarkanda police station area earlier. Next to their

    house was the house of the accused’s friend Akash Gandharva.

    She has known him for two years because of his frequent visits to

    his house. Due to their frequent visits to his house, she used to

    talk to the accused and after that, due to their frequent

    conversations, they fell in love with each other. Her family was not

    aware of all these things. Later, the accused called her on her

    mobile phone and asked her to marry him. The accused’s mobile

    number is 6264244536. She do not have a phone at present,

    earlier she used to have phones with her. In para 3 of her

    deposition, she stated that on 16.01.22, at around 11 P.M., the
    16

    accused called her and told her he was under the shed and that

    she should come. She went downstairs without informing her

    family. She then accompanied the accused in his car to his home

    at Bahtarai Chowk and then took an auto-rickshaw with him to

    Bilaspur Railway Station and from there, they went to

    Birasingpurpali and lived in a rented house. They stayed there for

    about a month. They lived there as husband and wife and had

    physical relations. They were not married because she was under

    the legal age. She told the accused about this, and he told her to

    take care of everything. In para 4 of her deposition, she deposed

    that the accused and she had a fight and he had said that he

    would drop her at Bilaspur and they came to Bilaspur by train.

    After reaching Bilaspur, she called her mother from the accused’s

    phone and told her that she was at the railway station and she

    would come to pick her up, then her mother and father came to

    pick her up. Before her mother and father could arrive, the

    accused left her there and went away. Her mother and father

    brought her home and took her to Sarkanda police station. There

    the police prepared the recovery panchnama Ex.P-3 after doing

    the paperwork.

    21. In para 9 of cross-examination, the victim (PW-2) admitted that

    there were other people on the train while traveling to Shahdol.

    She admitted that she did not complain to anyone on the train

    about the accused kidnapping her. In para 11 of her cross-

    examination, she admitted that after the accused had sex with her
    17

    for the first time, she did not inform the landlord or anyone around

    her. She denied that she did not go to Birsinghpurpali with the

    accused, nor that he had sex with her. In para 12 of her cross-

    examination, she admitted that the accused / appellant often left

    the house when she was alone and even then, she did not try to

    escape or tell anyone.

    22.The law is well settled that in case of rape, conviction can be

    maintained even on the basis of sole testimony of the victim.

    However, there is an important caveat which is that the testimony

    of the victim must inspire confidence. Even though the testimony

    of the victim is not required to be corroborated, if her statement is

    not believable, then the accused cannot be convicted. The

    prosecution has to bring home the charges levelled against the

    appellant beyond reasonable doubt, which the prosecution has

    failed to do in the instant case.

    23. Considering the entire evidence available on record and the

    conduct of the victim, we are of the opinion that the victim was

    more than 18 years of age at the time of incident, further she was

    a consenting party with the appellant. Therefore, in the above

    facts and circumstances of the case, offence under Sections 363,

    366 & 376(3) of the IPC and Section 5(l)/6 of the POCSO Act

    would not be made out against the appellant.

    24. For the foregoing reasons, the criminal appeal is allowed and the

    impugned judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated
    18

    12.01.2024 is set aside. The appellant stands acquitted from all

    the charges. The appellant is in jail. He be released forthwith, if

    not required in any other case.

    25. In view of above, I.A.No.02/2024, application for suspension of

    sentence and grant of bail stands disposed of.

    26. Keeping in view of the provisions of Section 437-A CrPC (Now

    Section 481 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023), the

    appellant is directed to furnish a personal bonds in terms of from

    No.45 prescribed in the Code of Criminal Procedure of sum of

    Rs.25000/- with 2 reliable sureties in the like amount before the

    Court concerned which shall be effective for a period of six

    months alongwith an undertaking that in the event of filing of

    special leave petition against the instant judgment or for grant of

    leave, the aforesaid appellant on receipt of notice thereon shall

    appear before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

    27. The Trial Court record alongwith the copy of this judgment be sent

    back immediately to the trial Court concerned for compliance and

    necessary action.

                        Sd/-                                     Sd/-
    
    
               (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal)                   (Ramesh Sinha)
                      Judge                                 Chief Justice
    
    
    
    Bablu
     



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