#sexual assault on minor

Bombay High Court rules that a minor victim's testimony under the POCSO Act and Section 376-AB IPC is sufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt when consistent with medical evidence and prompt complaint, even without additional corroboration. The judgment reinforces the reliability of child witnesses in sexual assault cases, impacting trial standards for similar offenses.

The Bombay High Court upheld bail denial in a POCSO case even after the victim and her mother withdrew support, emphasizing that forensic proof of hymenal tear and DNA evidence independently establish a prima facie case. This reinforces that child sexual assault prosecutions cannot be derailed by post-facto non-cooperation, safeguarding the integrity of medical evidence in minor abuse cases.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court affirmed that in POCSO cases, the credible testimony of a child victim, even without medical corroboration or immediate FIR filing, is sufficient to sustain a conviction. This reinforces the legal principle that children’s testimonies must be evaluated on their intrinsic reliability, not subjected to adult-centric evidentiary standards, significantly easing prosecution burdens in sexual abuse cases involving minors.

Sikkim High Court rules that a minor victim’s testimony under Section 10 of the POCSO Act is adequate for conviction if deemed truthful, even without additional evidence. The judgment underscores the judiciary’s duty to evaluate such statements with caution while dismissing minor inconsistencies, reinforcing victim-centric justice in sexual assault cases.

Gauhati High Court rules that a minor victim's credible testimony alone can sustain a conviction under POCSO Act, even in the absence of physical evidence or medical injury. The judgment reinforces that lack of corroboration does not automatically vitiate the victim's account, setting a precedent for child sexual abuse cases where direct evidence is often scarce.