#Sentencing Reform

Chhattisgarh High Court reduces sentence to time served for a first-time offender caught with 1.5 kg ganja under Section 20(b)(ii)(B) of the NDPS Act, emphasizing reformative justice over retribution where no statutory minimum penalty applies. The ruling sets a precedent for leniency in cases involving minor drug offenses without prior criminal records.

The Bombay High Court affirmed that conviction under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for attempt to rape a minor is valid even without medical evidence of penetration, emphasizing that the act of attempted sexual assault against a child is itself a grave offense under the law. This ruling reinforces the Act’s child-centric intent and expands prosecutorial leverage in cases where physical evidence is absent due to the victim’s age or delayed reporting.