The Bombay High Court upheld a man’s conviction for the 2016 crime, but noted that the life sentence he was given deserved a reduction. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The Bombay High Court has reduced the life sentence of a man convicted of raping a minor girl to 12 years, noting his young age, long incarceration and reform efforts in prison, including participation in an essay program on Mahatma Gandhi.
A Bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Sandesh Patil in their February 2 order, a copy of which was made available on Tuesday (February 10, 2026), upheld the man’s conviction for the 2016 offense but noted that the life sentence imposed on him deserved to be reduced.
The bench passed the order on an appeal filed by the convict challenging the life sentence imposed on him by the Pocso Special Court.
The convict was 20 years old at the time of the crime, had no previous criminal record, had been in custody since December 2016 and had not been released even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the court said.
The Bench also considered certificates proving his participation in prison educational activities, including an essay competition and a program studying the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi.
Taking into account these reforming factors against the seriousness of the offence, the Bench observed: “In our view, a sentence of 12 years would do justice.” The time the convict has already spent in jail will count against the reduced sentence, she added.
The accusation was that on December 9, 2016, the victim – then five years old – went to a neighbor’s house to get water, where the accused sexually assaulted her.
The frightened child immediately informed her mother about the incident, who confronted the accused even before the family approached the police with a complaint. The victim later testified in the trial court at the age of eight.
The HC found the testimony of the minor girl reliable and consistent and noted that she described the incident clearly and without rehearsing.
Published – 12 Feb 2026 08:20 IST