Simple blow with school bag can’t be termed as child abuse: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court ruled that child abuse cannot be invoked for trivial or incidental acts without intent to harm, cruelty, or exploitation.

Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta held that a simple blow with a school bag during a school quarrel does not meet the definition of child abuse under the Goa Children’s Act.

The Court found no evidence of deliberate maltreatment and set aside convictions under Section 8(2) of the Act and Section 504 IPC. However, it upheld convictions under Sections 323 and 352 IPC, granting the appellant release on probation.

[Santosh Sahadev Khajnekar v The State of Goa]