Gujarat High Court Quashes Rape Case Against 10-Year-Old, Orders Deletion of His Name from Records

The Gujarat High Court quashed a rape case filed against a 10-year-old boy, emphasising that such a prosecution of a minor of such young age would defeat the very purpose of the Juvenile Justice Act.

The Court noted that the child was a minor below 12 years of age at the time of the alleged offence, and continuation of criminal proceedings would be a miscarriage of justice.

Justice JC Doshi directed authorities to delete the boy’s name from all police and court records, asserting that the child requires care and protection, not criminalisation.

[ABC v State of Gujarat & Anr]