A disturbing setback for justice as Bombay High Court upholds conviction but shortens term for man who raped toddler
On March 26, 2025, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court reduced a man’s life sentence to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The accused was convicted of raping a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, but the court found the original life term excessive while upholding the guilty verdict.
The incident occurred when the man entered the victim’s home while her father was absent. The child’s mother stepped out to alert neighbors after noticing the intruder, and the assault took place in her brief absence. Medical evidence, eyewitness accounts, and circumstantial findings substantiated the crime.
The ruling has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that the reduced sentence weakens the POCSO Act’s aim to protect minors and deter such offenses. The decision raises questions about balancing judicial discretion with the gravity of crimes against children in India. As it stands, the 10-year term replaces the initial life sentence, prompting discussions on its broader implications for future cases under the law.
