Kathua gangrape: SC holds accused adult, not to be tried as juvenile

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday held that one of the accused in the sensational gang-rape and murder case of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua was not a juvenile at the time of the offence and now can be tried afresh as an adult.

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The top court also held that medical opinion regarding the age of an accused cannot be “brushed aside” in the absence of statutory proof on the same issue.

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“Medical opinion regarding age in absence of any other conclusive evidence should be considered to determine the age range of the accused...Whether medical evidence can be relied upon or not depends on the value of evidence,” a bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and J B Pardiwala said. (PTI)

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• #Supreme Court
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• #Juvenile
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