Kuldeep and Anr. v. State of Haryana
Case brief
What is this about?
Gang rape of a minor 10+1 student by six accused after forcible abduction on a motorcycle; filming of the assault and CD blackmail; delay in FIR registration explained by threats; minority/age determination under Section 2(d) POCSO with conflicting school DOB entries; discrepancy in Section 164 Cr.P.C statement regarding one accused; recovery of CDs through disclosure statements corroborated; non-seizure of mobile phone held immaterial; juvenile convicts (Vikram @ Vicky, Sewa Singh) sentenced by Juvenile Justice Board, Jind, affirmed with concurrent sentences; loan-motive false implication plea rejected; FIR No.232/2013, PS Uchana; High Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh; decision dated 08.12.2025.
What did the court decide?
The delay in registration of the FIR stands plausibly explained: 'P', a 10+1 student threatened with death, defamation and public circulation of the video, stayed silent out of fear and disclosed the incident to her mother and paternal uncle on 01.08.2013 upon being noticed watching the CD, with the FIR lodged the very next day; the delay is not inordinate and has no adverse effect on her version or the prosecution case.