LILLU @ RAJESH & ANR.versusSTATE OF HARYANA

                         [2013) 2 S.C.R. 774


 A                   LILLU @ RAJESH & ANR.
                                  v.
                        STATE OF HARYANA
                 (Criminal Appeal No. 1226 of 2011)
                           APRIL 11, 2013
 B
          [DR. B.S. CHAUHAN AND FAKKIR MOHAMED
                    IBRAHIM KALIFULLA, JJ.]

         PENAL CODE, 1860:
 c
          ss. 376, 506, 366 and 363 - Kidnapping and rape of a
    girl of 13 years - Conviction of four accused by courts below
    - Appeal by two convicts - One died pending appeal - Held:
    On the date of incident, victim was of 13 years and 9 months
    and was a student of 6th standard - To refute the same, no
  D
    evidence has been led by accused-appellant - The said
    finding stood affirmed by High Court and in view thereof, it
    remains totally immaterial whether the prosecutrix was a .
'   consenting party or not - The case does not present special
    features warranting any interference.
 E
         CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN:

        Rape victim - Entitlement to legal recourse - Held: In view
   of International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural
 F Rights 1966; United Nations Declaration of Basic Principles
   of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power 1985, rape
   survivors are entitled to legal recourse that does not
   retraumatize them or violate their physical or mental integrity
   and dignity - Medical procedures should not be carried out
   in a manner that constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading
 G
   treatment and health should be of paramount consideration
   while dealing with gender-based violence - State is under an
   obligation to make such services available to survivors of
   sexual violence - Proper measures should be taken to ensure
 H                                774
  LILLU @ RAJESH & ANR. v. STATE OF HARYANA 775


their safety and there should be no arbitrary or unlawful         A
interference with victim's privacy - There is a demand of
sound standard of conducting and interpreting forensic
examination of rape survivors - International Covenant on
Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights 1966; United Nations
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime   B
and Abuse of Power 1985.

     Narayanamma (Kum) v. State of Karnataka & Ors., 1994
(2) Suppl. SCR 799 = (1994) 5 sec 728; State of U.P. v.
Pappu @ Yunus & Anr., 2004 (6) Suppl. SCR 585 = AIR
2005 SC 1248; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Munshi, 2008 (12)         C
SCR 897 = AIR 2009 SC 370; Narender Kumar v. State (NCT
of Delhi), 2012 (6) SCR 148 =AIR 2012 SC 2281 and State
of Punjab v. Ramdev Singh, 2003 (6) Suppl. SCR 995 = AIR
2004 SC 1290 - referred to.
                                                                  D
                     Case Law Reference:
    1994 (2) Suppl. SCR 799       referred to        para 8
   · 2004 (6) Suppl. SCR 585      referred to        para 9
                                                                  E
    2008 (12) SCR 897             referred to        para 9
    2012 (6) SCR 148              referred to        para 10
    2003 (6) Suppl. SCR 995       referred to        para 11

    CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal              F
No. 1226 of 2011.

    From the Judgment & Order dated 20.09.2010 of the High
Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal
No. 243-DB of 2002.                                               G

    J.P. Singh, R.C. Kaushik for the Appellants.

    Kamal Mohan Gupta for the Respondent.

    The following Order of the Court was delivered                H
       776     SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2013] 2 S.C.R.


A                               ORDER

            1. This criminal appeal has been preferred against the
       impugned judgment and order dated 20.9.2010 passed by the
       High Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal
B      Appeal No. 243-DB of 2002, by way of which the High Court
       has affirmed the judgment and order dated 4.3.2002 passed
       by the Additional Sessions Judge, Jind in Sessions Case No.
       37 of 2001, by way of which the appellant no. 1 has been
       convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860
"      (hereinaftP.r referred to as 'IPC') and awarded the sentence of
'""'   seven years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 5,000/-
       and in default of making payment, to further undergo
       imprisonment for two years. Further he has been convicted
       under Section 506 IPC and awarded the sentence of two years
       rigorous imprisonment. Both the sentences have been directed
D      to run concurrently. The other co-accused, namely, Manoj,
       Satish @ Sitta and Kuldeep have been convicted separately
       under sections 376, 506, 366 and 363 IPC. Kuldeep Singh
       alone has been found guilty under Section 376 (2) (g) IPC, and
       has been awarded sentence of life imprisonment. Out of these
E      four convicts, Kuldeep Singh and Manoj did not prefer any
       appeal against the High Court's judgment, while appellant nos.1
       and 2 preferred the present appeal. Appellant no.2 had died
       during the pendency of this appeal in jail, therefore, we are .
       concerned only with the case of appellant no.1 i. e. Lillu @
F      Rajesh.

        2. Mr. J.P. Singh, learned counsel for the appellant,
   submitted that the prosecution has failed to prove the date of
   birth of the prosecutrix and that she was about 17-18 years of
   age on the date of incident. Thus, it was a clear cut case of
 G consent. The statement of Raj Bala, prosecutrix has not been
   corroborated by any of the witnesses and has not got
   corroborated by the medical evidence. Dr. Malti Gupta (PW-
   1), who had examined Raj Bala, prosecutrix medically had
   deposed that there was no external mark of injury on any part
 H
 LILLU @ RAJESH & ANR. v. STATE OF HARYANA                  777


of her body. The possibility of prosecutrix being habitual to A
sexual intercourse could not be ruled out. There was no
bleeding. Thus, in such a fact-situation, the statement of the
prosecutrix that she was unmarried arid had never indulged in
sexual activity with any person, or was below 16 years, could.
not be relied upon.                                            B

     3. On the other hand, the State of Haryana, as usual,
remained unrepresented as the government counsel duly
appointed by the State considered it their privilege not to
appear in court and become the burden on public exchequer.
So, the court has to examine the case more consciously going       C
through the record and examine the correctness of the findings
recorded by the courts below.

     4. The trial court has examined the issue on age and after
examining the school certificate (Ext. P-N), which stood duly      D
proved by Lakhi Ram (PW-11), Science teacher, Government
High Court, Badhana and Gajraj Singh, teacher, Govt. Primary
School, Badhana, came to the conclusion that her date of birth
as per the school register was 4.6.1987. So on the date of
incident i.e. 7.3.2001, she was 13 years 9 month and 2 days        E
old. She was a student of 6th standard. To refute the same, no
evidence worth the name has been led by the accused-
appellant. The said finding stood affirmed by the High Court and
in view thereof, it remains totally immaterial whether the
prosecutrix was a consenting party or not.                         F

      5. So far as the medical evidence is concerned, Dr. Malti
Gupta (PW-1), Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Jind, has
deposed that Raj Bala, prosecutrix was habitual in sexual
activities and such a statement was made in view of the medical
examination. Relevant part thereof reads as under:                 G

    "Bilateral breast were moderately developed, There was
    no external mark of injury seen any where on the body.
    Axillary heir was not developed. Public hair were partially
    developed.                                                     H
    778       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                     [2013] 2 S.C.R.


A         On local examination labia majora and labia minora were
          moderately developed.

          There was no bleeding P/V. Whitish discharge was
          present. Hymen was completely torn.
B         Vagina admitted two fingers cervix was normal, uterus was
          of null parous by lateral FF were normal.

          ....Two swabs were taken from cervix vagina. Public hair
          were taken and sent for examination. Salwar worn by Raj
c         Bala was taken and sealed following were handed over
          to the police .

          . . . .It is correct that I have given my opinion that hymen was
          completely tom.

D         .... It is also correct that the marginas were completely
          heeled. I cannot give the exact time .

          .... I cannot say whether it was torn one year back 2 years
          back or 10 days back.
E         .... I cannot say whether there was any sign of semen on
          the swabs taken by me."

          She further deposed:

F         " .... Since there was no matting of hair so I did not opine
          whether there was any semen on the public hair.

          .. .. I do not remember whether I enquired from Raj Bala
          whether she came to me for medico legal examination
          after washing clothes and taking bath or not. However, the
G         salwar worn by her was taken into custody. I cannot say
          from how many days Raj Bala was having sexual activities.
          The possibility of Raj Bala of habitual sexual intercourse
          cannot be ruled out."

H         6. In fact, much has been argued by Mr. J.P. Singh on two
  LILLU @ RAJESH & ANR. v. STATE OF HARYANA                    779


fingers test. Admitting very fairly that in case she was a minor,      A
the question as to whether she had been habitual to sexual
activities or not, is immaterial to determine the issue of consent.

      7. So far as the two finger test is concerned, it requires a
 serious consideration by the court as there is a demand for           8
 sound standard of conducting and interpreting forensic
 examination of rape survivors.

       8. In Narayanamma (Kum) v. State of Kamataka & Ors.,
  (1994) 5 SCC 728, this Court held that fact of admission of two
  fingers and the hymen rupture does not give a clear indication       C
  that prosecutrix is habitual to sexual intercourse. The doctor has
  to opine as to whether the hymen stood ruptured much earlier
  or carried an old tear. The factum of admission of two fingers
  could not be held adverse to the prosecutrix, as it would also
  depend upon the size of the fingers inserted. The doctor must        D
  give his clear opinion as to whether it was painful and bleeding
, on touch, for the reason that such conditions obviously relate
  to the hymen.

      9. In State of U.P. v. Pappu @ Yunus & Anr., AIR 2005            E
 SC 1248, the Court held that a prosecutrix complaining of
·having been a victim of an offence of rape is not an accomplice
 after the crime. There is no rule of law that her testimony cannot
 be acted upon without corroboration in material particulars, for
 the reason, that she stands on a much higher pedestal than an
 injured witness.
                                                                       F

     This Court while dealing with the issue in State of Uttar
Pradesh v. Munshi, AIR 2009 SC 370, has expressed its
anguish and held that even if the victim of rape was previously
accustomed to sexual intercourse, it cannot be the determinative       G
question. On the contrary, the question still remains as to
whether the accused committed rape on the victim on the
occasion complained of. Even if the victim had lost her virginity
earlier, it can certainly not give a licence to any person to rape
                                                                       H
    780      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 (2013] 2 S.C.R.


A her. It is the accused who was on trial and not the victim. So
  as to whether the victim is of a promiscuous character is totally
  an irrelevant issue altogether in a case of rape. Even a woman
  of easy virtue has a right to refuse to submit herself to sexual
  intercourse to anyone and everyone, because she is not a
B vulnerable object or prey for being sexually assaulted by anyone
  and everyone. A prosecutrix stands on a higher pedestal than
  an injured witness for the reason that an injured witness gets
  the injury on the physical form, while the prosecutrix suffers
  psychologically and emotionally.
c       10. In Narender Kumar v. State (NCT of Delhi), AIR 2012
  SC 2281, this Court dealt with a case where the allegation was
  that the victim of rape herself was an unchaste woman, and a
  woman of easy virtue. The court held that so far as the
  prosecutrix is concerned, mere statement of prosecutrix herself
D is enough to record a conviction, when her evidence is read in
  its totality and found to be worth reliance. The incident in itself
  causes a great distress and humiliation to the victim though,
  undoubtedly a false allegation of rape can cause equal distress,
  humiliation and damage to the accused as well. The Court
E further held as under:

            "Even in cases where there is some material to show
          that the victim was habituated to sexual intercourse, no
          inference of the victim being a woman of "easy virtues"
F         or a women of "loose moral character'' can be drawn.
          Such a woman has a right to protect her dignity and
          cannot be subjected to rape only for that reason. She has
          a right to refuse to submit herself to sexual intercourse
          to anyone and everyone because she is not a vulnerable
          object or prey for being sexually assaulted by anyone and
G
          everyone. Merely because a woman is of easy virtue, her
          evidenc~ot be discarded on that ground alone rather
          it is to· be cautiously appreciated. (Vide: State of
          Maharashtra & Anr. v. Madhukar Narayan Mardikar, AIR
          1991 SC 207; State of Punjab v. Gurmit Singh & Ors.,
H
 LILLU@ RAJESH & ANR. v. STATE OF HARYANA                     781


    AIR 1996 SC 1393; and State of U.P. v. Pappu@ Yunus               A
    & Anr., AIR 2005 SC 1248).
     In view of the provisions of Sections 53 and 54 of the
     Evidence Act, 1872, unless the character of the prosecutrix
     itself is in issue, her character is not a relevant factor to
                                                                      8
     be taken into consideration at all".

      11. In State of Punjab v. Ramdev Singh, AIR 2004 SC
1290, this court dealt with the issue and held that rape is
violative of victim's fundamental right under Article 21 of the
Constitution. So, the courts should deal with such cases sternly      C
and severely. Sexual violence, apart from being a dehumanizing
act, is an unlawful intrusion on the right of privacy and sanctity
of a woman. It is a serious blow to her supreme honour and
offends her self-esteem and dignity as well. It degrades and
humiliates the victim and where the victim is a helpless innocent     D
child or a minor, it leaves behind a traumatic experience. A
rapist not only causes physical injuries, but leaves behind a
scar on the most cherished position of a woman, i.e. her dignity,
honour, reputation and chastity. Rape is not only an offence
against the person of a woman, rather a crime against the entire      E
society. It is a crime against basic human rights and also
violates the most cherished fundamental right guaranteed under
Article 21 of the Constitution.

     12. In view of International Covenant on Economic, Social,
and Cultural Rights 1966; United Nations Declaration of Basic         F
Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
1985, rape survivors are entitled to legal recourse that does
not retraumatize them or violate their physical or mental integrity
and dignity. They are also entitled to medical procedures
conducted in a manner that respects their right to consent.           G
Medical procedures should not be carried out in a manner that
constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and health
should be of paramount consideration while dealing with
gender-based violence. The State is under an obligation to
make such services available to survivors of sexual violence.
    782       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [2013] 2 S.C.R.


A   Proper measures should be taken to ensure their safety and
    there should be no arbitrary or unlawful interference with his
    privacy.

         13. Thus, in view of the above, undoubtedly, the two finger
    test and its interpretation violates the right of rape survivors to
8
    privacy, physical and mental integrity and dignity. Thus, this test,
    even if the report is affirmative, cannot ipso facto, be given rise
    to presumption of consent.

           14. In view of the above, the facts and circumstances of
C the case do not present special features warranting any
    interference by this Court. The appeal lacks merit and is
    accordingly dismissed.

    R.P.                                          Appeal dismissed.