State Of U.P vs Manoj Kumar Pandey

The Supreme Court held that the High Court's dismissal of the State's appeal against the acquittal of the respondent for offences under Sections 376 and 323 IPC was unsustainable. The Court emphasized that the mere age of the prosecutrix being above 16 years cannot imply consent without evidence, and the trial court's failure to address this issue warranted a remand for a fresh hearing. The Court also clarified that the prosecution's duty to explain delays in lodging FIR does not apply in rape cases, thus setting aside the High Court's order for a reasoned judgment.