State Of Karnataka vs Raju

The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in reducing the sentence of the respondent convicted under Section 376 IPC for raping a minor, as the minimum punishment for such an offence is 10 years unless 'adequate and special reasons' are provided. The Court emphasized that the victim was less than 12 years old, and the reasons cited by the High Court for reducing the sentence were insufficient and irrelevant. Consequently, the Court restored the original sentence of seven years imprisonment, emphasizing the heinous nature of the crime and the need for stringent punishment.