Karnataka High Court
Somu @ Somaiah S/O Ramappa vs State Of Karnataka Reptd By Spp on 15 February, 2012
Author: Jawad Rahim
Bench: Jawad Rahim
. ..4........i\\x\\\\\\\\\\« . .............\§\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ...'......"......§\\\x\\\\\\\\\\\«\««\ 6 Undouhtediyé, she has to be first a major and ther:--siuitabie, mentally and etherwise to give censent. 'fhef"L:'>--!ji:vrden having shifted on the accused, it had to him. He has tendered no evid_en.ce4exc:eV1§ti'Fee'iingv4_§:t>ntent_; I with the cross~examination of
8. Learned counsei that the evidence of the fatheij is_«"'e'ieen'~:'i:'i'n,eve~rtant'idhe has given details of admission oi" and her ieaving school and if the dates it shows her age as 16 This contention has to be in a case ef this nature where physical 'ihtetcoVurse"v_iéfirreved and defence being eniy SQ'-k:fig.ef?>}t%>>'th€ p%e's'eeution evidence cannot be ignored ef suggestiens in eress~e><emirsetieeS In :f'e;jt';f:Pifgii'xtiiiffiAiiexaménatienein-chief has eetegorieaiiy stated his ieeeghtee was a miner and PW9»heee maetea. hee '~:'f"«;§te§d:2eed the tegietet te eteve her date ef birth is §_j§§'5,19§1§ "the ieeident has eeeurred er: 48?¥2$§@i it is '////////////1' - < 7 just when she was 13 years and a month old.
Undoubtedly, she was not Capable of giving conse~n:t'4«i_n"--lvew.
9. Medical officer's report is a reassurajnte xragjtu. Medical record shows on e><aml:V'i.éfio'r»; ._do_ctor .fodnd"h.e_ri'to ' be around 13 years, she had ettanxed menses only 11 months 'thelldazterof exendination. She had well developed' sexual".slhevrecrerislfiveswend showed intercourse on p.v. e>ren1_i"nd't'loVn;:' swabs were collected and discloses no presence of spermatozoa. Seizure of the articles is in1A'n'f2:edle'.:el'y %ar«:ésrz:'he occurrence, but after a few clays; 'However,.._:med}ical evidence shows she was subjected' rate r:j:owfse~~;'V E""'ége'~«r_.proof eroduced by the prosecution also *'--.eVs:el§:l':sh:e«s:'_"rfie~«*:':'fact of her date sf birth es 16.5.1991; Thle-riefegfie', -eéree if if: is is be held she was a eensentfng ""oer:ner'~=%o the sexual act, it is no consent %n law; and 'she c 'e§:'<;%;ssed has fie eseege for the eherge under Seeders 3%, fisereforec, ee feelt eeele be feuhd with the trial 77//////////oy ' ' z////////2//( 8 CO€.3i'i1' in pronouncing the verdictpf gui§'ii"'e"F--iisueiiw '}:hVar-gels?' The grounds in this appeai do Ziifiot::"se:i§§);;ierf"'h:is innegeingte and hence, the finding of the.__i:riai'i:e'Lirt_ce'n§}ie;in.gVVhimiozé"
the offence under Sectien
11. As regards theiiefienrfije. 506, I.P.C., I do not find ey/i4d:en.¢e and rightly the triai courti-riais;_afie-aiVi§te€i.Vjhin=:_.__ V
12. ConfiiinLj;._-..i:QV':i:h%e"qi;i'eVs'tio'ri of sentence, the izriai court has sen'ten'<:ed' h§inifto:_4uniiiergo imprisonment for 7 years and to» pay 'r'ine_ef' Rs..i0,i)O0/-, in defauit, to undergo SI for ~' = M5qnienfhei"S&entenei'ng policy is now very settied. Though the prescribed sentence must visit the off'e.nde§f,; 'ggeireiifeienieus propensity ef the accused must be i."'»-"«.__V"i:ei<[er; "in.i::e consideration. If the offence committee is by VA r§:r3ic'.~:_if_§ing in acts showing hie eriminei tendency; then _'§_e§'1iency is not desirebie. But if ether etteneing circumstances seeii ear: that erziy becaeee ef ieennieaiieg ef the eesitiers ei' Seer, he has fie be feend guiityf as etherwise '////////M1,,
- .....w.~,...,,.._..'....._......w,o.-mwsoepxma»---«~z~ 9 he wouid have escaped; then Hberafity must be imparted inte sentencfng' in deciding the quantum of punishvnije-ht;-..v
13. In the instant case, I have already V' circumstances in which the offehAce"'*.~a§s_ cs3hA1h:'ii:ted:V:'ah"d opinion is formed that may be, the«.yi»ct§h1 w2.a'Vsj;_e"c:.o'~née.fii:ihg--.._ partner to the sexuai act, buthjéccause'sh.e"w;j}3 ahmihor and was not capable of gévghg Ie'g'aiA.'v.§i§>h:See._ht, 'hi§"d'e%ence has failed and he is f0und'k?gVe.§_ityh under Section 376, I.P.C. sentence of Emprisonmehic'"fo1%"gf'fyea'Es:«'..c§ee_$ij'vnhvf"appear to be just and it is on thee"higcAher' s&ViE3::.;;»'.--
14g Ih' thecereSu.féf:,'=fhe"fiefied of sentence is reduced frem :7 yegsrs Lie 2 .Vywe»a_ifs',"'rete=ihihg the amount of fine as impasecf €53? j"<7:e:'.i.;_:rt; The accused win he entétfeci ta setwoff for g'5:Aes9E'.%)f'e:;*., V_efvv-v§.s9hprisonment aiready undergene by him; ' _ This-«..sha__§E'befhe em'; modificatier: te the Empugnecf erder, :"i~?:;e$1t ef the eirectiens shah remain uneieterbedc eezm " %%W Eeeee )///////////r;22.v