Baldev Singh & Ors vs State Of Punjab

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of the appellants under Section 376(2)(g) and Section 342 IPC for rape and wrongful confinement, respectively, but reduced their sentence to the period already undergone due to the passage of time since the incident in 1997 and the parties' compromise. The Court noted that while Section 376 is a non-compoundable offence, the proviso to Section 376(2)(g) allows for a lesser sentence under special circumstances. The appellants were also directed to pay an enhanced fine of Rs. 50,000 to the victim, recoverable as arrears of land revenue if unpaid.