Bombay High Court: The Bench of V.M. Deshpande, J. upheld the judgment of Additional Sessions Judge convicting the appellants for the offences punishable under Section 376(g), 506 and 34 of IPC.
Prosecution Case
On 8-12-2004, appellants came to the house of the victim where she resided with her husband and 2 children. They consumed liquor with her husband. When they were going to bring more liquor, the victim did not allow them. The appellants went away but after some time came back and started knocking the house door while threatening to kill victim’s husband. By this time, her husband felt asleep under influence of liquor. Afraid, the victim ran out of the house from the back door. The appellants caught her and took her to a secluded place where they committed forcible sexual intercourse on her against her will.
Trial Court’s decision and appellant’s challenge
The appellants were charge-sheeted for the above-mentioned offences and after appreciating the evidence, the trial court convicted them under the charges framed. S.S. Rao with C.R. Thakur, Advocates representing the appellants before the High Court challenged trial court’s judgment on various grounds. Much capital was made by the counsels to distrust the victim in absence of any injury on her private part.
Judgment of the High Court
After perusing the entire material available on record, the Court found no infirmity in the trial court’s judgment. All contentions raised on behalf of the appellants were rejected. Referring specifically to the ground of absence of injury, the court expressly observed, ” The marriage of the victim took place prior to 15 years and she is having two grown-up children aged 13 and 10 years. In light of this fact, one cannot expect injuries on vagina even if there is forcible sexual intercourse.”
On re-appreciation of the entire case, the Court dismissed the appeal. The conviction of appellants was upheld and sentence of 10 years imprisonment was confirmed. [Viru v. State of Maharashtra, 2019 SCC OnLine Bom 68, dated 07-01-2019]
