Supreme Court Upholds Juvenile Status Based on School Records, Not Medical Tests

The Supreme Court ruled that documentary evidence like school and municipal birth certificates must be prioritized over medical tests when determining the age of an accused under the Juvenile Justice Act.

The Court held that the Juvenile Justice Board wrongly relied on an ossification test, despite the presence of valid certificates showing the accused was 17 years and 3 months old at the time of the 2021 offence.

It emphasized that ossification tests can only be used as a last resort under Section 94(2) of the Act. The Court also upheld the High Court’s decision to grant bail to the accused.