HC convicts man let off in rape case 21 years ago
Mumbai, Dec 23: The Bombay High Court has overturned a 1997 trial court order acquitting a 41-year-old man in a rape case of a minor girl in 1996.
A division bench of Justices Indrajit Mahanty and V K Jadhav Saturday convicted Macchindra Sonawane (who was 19 years old at the time of the incident) and sentenced him to seven years in jail for raping the 11-year-old girl.
The bench, in its judgment, said the trial court had erred and acted in a "casual or cavalier" manner, in determining the victim's age as that of being a major.
The prosecution case is that on December 1, 1996, Sonwane allegedly raped the victim who had gone to his shop to buy medicines.
A sessions court in Nashik had in July 1997 acquitted Sonwane after determining the victim's age as 16 and not 11.
The court had taken into consideration the victim's X-ray ossification test that estimated her age as 14.
The trial court applied the plus two minus two margin of error and determined that victim was 16, which was the age of consent at that time.
The trial court had also disbelieved the victim's statement that she had resisted the rape after observing that there were no injuries on her body to show resistance.
Thereafter, the Maharashtra government approached the HC in appeal against the acquittal and said the trial court had erred in determining the victim's age and claimed that she had not even hit puberty at the time of the crime.
The HC, in its judgment, noted that the trial court had mechanically determined the age of the victim.
The bench also took note of the victim's statement to the police and her deposition before the trial court in which she had categorically denied having consented to the act.
"Lack of any resistance or absence of injury on the body of the victim are of no consequence vis a vis the issue of consent," the High Court said.
The bench, while convicting Sonwane, directed him to pay a fine of Rs one lakh as compensation to the victim.
It asked the Nashik District Legal Services Authority to locate the victim and get an application from her for consideration of payment of compensation under the government's scheme of financial assistance for women victims/ survivors for sexual assault and other crimes.
"We hope and trust that such application will be dealt with necessary sympathy that the case deserves," the HC said.
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KSRTC to run 1000 special services to clear Christmas rush
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will operate 1000 additional special services in view of the Christmas festival.
In addition to the existing schedule, the special services will run on 19.12.2025, 20.12.2025 and 24.12.2025. Further, special buses will be operated from various places of intra & Interstate places to Bengaluru on 26.12.2025 & 28.12.2025.
Special buses will be exclusively operated from Bengaluru Kempegowda Bus Station to Dharmastala, Kukkesubramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubbali, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and other places.
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Special buses from Mysuru Road Bus Station will be exclusively operated towards Mysuru, Hunsur, Piriyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalanagar, Madikeri.
The corporation has also announced a discount of 5 per cent on the fare if four or more passengers book tickets under a single reservation. A discount of 10 per cent will be extended on return journey tickets if onward and return tickets are booked simultaneously.
In addition to the above, special buses will be operated from all Taluk/District Bus Stands in the jurisdiction of KSRTC based on the traffic needs.
