ATUL LAKRA vs STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI) & ANR.

Judgment text excerpt

$~35 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 30.10.2025 + CRL.REV.P. 484/2024 & CRL.M.A. 20096/2024, CRL.M.A. 22133/2024, CRL.M.A. 10993/2024 ATUL LAKRA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Satyam Thareja (DHCLSC) with Mr. Shaurya Katoch and Mr. Shikhar Yadav, Advocates versus STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI) & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Aashneet Singh, APP for the State with ASI Vikram Singh P.S. Karawal Nagar CORAM: HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE SWARANA KANTA SHARMA JUDGMENT DR. SWARANA KANTA SHARMA, J. (Oral) 1. By way of the present petition under Section 102 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 [hereafter „JJ Act‟], the petitioner seeks setting aside of the judgment dated 16.08.2023, passed in Criminal Appeal No. 17/2023 titled „Atma Ram v. State‟ by learned Additional Sessions Judge-02, North- East District, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi [hereafter „Sessions Signature Not Verified CRL.REV.P. 484/2024 Page 1 of 6 Digitally Signed By:ZEENAT PRAVEEN Signing Date:03.11.2025 19:39:25 Judge‟] on the ground that the said judgment was rendered by a Court not vested with the jurisdiction to decide the same. 2. It is the petitioner‟s case, as also recorded by this Court in order dated 30.07.2024, that Section 101(1) of the JJ Act provides that any person aggrieved by an order made by the Committee or the Board under the JJ Act may prefer an appeal before the Children‟s Court. Further, Section 2(20) of the JJ Act defines “Children‟s Court” to mean a court established under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, or a Special Court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. It is contended that where such special courts have not been designated, the Court of Sessions having jurisdiction to try offence