Lav Kumar Seth v. State of Chhattisgarh
Case brief
What is this about?
Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur; CRA No. 589 of 2007; decided 06/02/2025 by Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, J.; outrage of modesty (S.354 IPC) and wrongful restraint (S.341 IPC) of a prosecutrix of the Saura Tribe near Saraipali, Mahasamund; FIR and charge sheet also under S.323 IPC and S.3(1)(11) SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (acquitted); conviction upheld on reappraisal of PW-1, PW2 and PW-6; sentence commuted to period already undergone (about 08 days) owing to ~18-year delay since 06.06.2006 incident; fines Rs.100/- and Rs.500/- retained; appeal allowed in part; bail bond continuation for 6 months under S.437-A Cr.P.C.
What did the court decide?
Appeal allowed in part: substantive sentence reduced to the period already undergone (about 08 days) in place of RI 15 days under Section 341 IPC and RI 03 months under Section 354 IPC, while the fine amounts (Rs.100/- and Rs.500/-) remain intact; the appellant, who is on bail, need not surrender and his bail bonds continue for a further period of 6 months as per Section 437-A Cr.P.C.; record of the court below to be sent back with a copy of the judgment.