Panaji: Supreme Court has issued notice to the state on an appeal by a rape convict challenging the Bombay high court’s April 2025 order upholding his conviction for sexually assaulting a minor in 2017. He has also sought interim bail.On April 6, 2025, the high court upheld his sentence of 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for rape under the Pocso Act. The court observed that the survivor, who was 17 at the time, had not eloped with the accused and that their relationship did not continue after the offence.The high court noted that the survivor withstood cross-examination and said she could not pursue further education because she faced teasing from people int eh vicinity of her residence. It also observed that she had only called the accused to say she was travelling to another state, and that he had insisted on accompanying her.The high court noted the sessions court’s finding that, due to the sexual assault, the survivor suffered physical and mental illness, could not continue school and extracurricular activities, and lost opportunities because of mental trauma and social stigma. It said this impact on the survivor’s life could not be ignored.
