Poverty No Reason For Reducing Sentence In Rape Case, Bombay HC Says

India Legal News: Poverty is no reason for showing leniency towards someone accused of rape, the Bombay High Court said last week.

The minimum punishment for rape is seven years of rigorous imprisonment, under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. A judge has the power to reduce the sentence for "adequate and special reasons".

In 2006, Satinath Raut raped and threatened to kill a 22-year-old woman. In 2007, he was sentenced to nine years on charges of rape, criminal trespass and a threat to kill. The sessions court also asked him to pay Rs 1,000 to the victim as compensation.

Raut appealed before the High Court, saying that the sentence should be reduced as he had five children and an ailing mother. However, Justice Bhangale upheld the sentence saying, "...socio-economic status of the accused or his religion, caste, creed are irrelevant factors".