STATE OF M.P. vs BASODI

The Supreme Court allowed the appeal against the Madhya Pradesh High Court's judgment which had upheld the conviction of the respondent under Section 376 IPC for rape but reduced the sentence to the period already undergone. The Court emphasized that the reasons for sentence reduction, based on the respondent's status as an illiterate labourer from a Scheduled Tribe, were insufficient. The Court reiterated that the prescribed punishment for rape under Section 376 IPC is severe, reflecting the legislative intent to address such serious offenses against women.