Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has cut the life term of a man convicted of raping a minor to 12 years, citing mitigating factors such as his young age at the time of the offence, prolonged incarceration and evidence of reform during imprisonment, including his participation in an essay programme on Mahatma Gandhi.

In an order dated February 2, a division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Sandesh Patil upheld the 2016 conviction but held that the sentence warranted reduction. The court was hearing an appeal filed by the convict against the life sentence awarded by a special POCSO court.

The convict was 20 years old at the time of the offence, had no prior criminal record, had been in custody since December 2016, and was not released even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the court noted.

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The bench also considered certificates showing his participation in prison educational activities, including an essay competition and a programme studying the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi.

Taking into account these reformative factors against the seriousness of the crime, the bench held, "In our opinion, the sentence of 12 years would meet the ends of justice."

The period which the convict has already spent in jail will be set off against the reduced sentence, it added.

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The prosecution's case was that on December 9, 2016, the victim, then aged five, went to a neighbour's house to fetch water, where the accused sexually assaulted her.

The frightened child immediately informed about the incident to her mother, who confronted the accused 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 minor girl's testimony reliable and consistent, noting she had narrated the incident clearly and without tutoring. PTI