PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLAversusSTATE OF DELHI

                     [2014] 1 S.C.R. 451.


             PARMINDER ALIAS LAOKA POLA                         A
                              v.
                      STATE OF DELHI
              (Criminal Appeal No.133 of 2006)
                     JANUARY 16, 2014.
                                                                B
      [A.K. PATNAIK AND GYAN SUDHA MISRA, JJ.]

      Penal Code, 1860:

       s.376 and s.506 - Rape of 14 year old girl - Conviction C
  and seven years sentence by courts below - On appeal, held:
. Medical evidence corroborated the evidence of the
  prosecutrix that rape was committed on her - Non-rupture of
· hymen not sufficient ground to dislodge the theory of rape,
  as there was penetration which .had caused bleeding in the
                                                                 0
  private parts of the prosecutrix. and therefore, the plea that
  there was an attempt to rape but not rape by the appellant not
  accepted - No interference called for with the conviction and
  sentence - Crime against woman.

       s. 376, proviso - Imposition of a sentence of E
  imprisonment for a term of less than seven years in rape case
  - When called for- Held: The proviso to s.376(1), as it stood
  prior to its amendment in the year 2013 expressly states that
  the Court may impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term
  of less than seven years in an offence u/s.376(1), /PC, "for F
  adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the
  judgment" - What is adequate and special depend upon
  several factors and on the facts of each case and no
  straitjacket formula has been laid down by the Court - In the
  facts of the instant case, the prosecutrix was a student of G
  eighth class and about 14 years of age at the time.of incident
  - Thereafter, she had stopped going to school and was
. studying eighth class privately - In view of the age of the

                             451                                H
    45.2    SUPREME COURT REPORTS             [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A prosecutrix, the conduct of the appellant and the
    consequences of the rape on the prosecutrix, no adequate
    and special reasons in this case to reduce the sentence to
    less than the minimum sentence u/s. 376(1) - Sentence/
    Sentencing.
B      The questions which have arisen for consideration
  in the instant appeal were whether th.e High Court was
  right in coming to the conclusion that the appellant-
  accused was guilty under Section 376 IPC for the offence
  of rape or whether the evidence on record only made out
C an offence of attempt t~ rape under Section 376, IPC r/w
  Section 511 IPC and that whether the court should
  invoke the proviso to Section 376 (1) IPC and impose a
  sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than seven
  years in the instant case.
D
       Dismissing the appeal, the court

       HELD: 1. The High Court while coming to the
  conclusion that the appellant was guilty of the offence of
  rape under Section 376, IPC, had considered the evidence
E of the prosecutrix (PW-1), the medical evidence and the
  report of CFSL. The prosecutrix had stated that the
  appellant had pushed her on the cot, put off her
  underwear and salwar and forcibly raped her. The salwar
  and underwear of the prosecutrix, which she was wearing
F at the time of incident, were sent to CFSL for analysis and
  after examination the CFSL had found in its report that
  there was human semen and blood on the underwear of
  the prosecutrix. Therefore, there was corroboration of the
  testimony of the prosecutrix that rape was committed on
G her. PW-15, the doctor who conducted the medical
  examination of the prosecutrix, however, had stated that
  there was no sign of injury on the prosecutrix and the
  hymen was found intact. The High Court had considered
  this evidence and had held that the non-rupture of hymen
H was not sufficient to dislodge the theory of rape. Section
    PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF             453
                    DELHI
375, IPC, defines the offence of 'rape' and the Explanation   A
to Section 375, IPC, states that penetration is sufficient
to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the
offence of rape. In the instant case, even though the
hymen of the prosecutrix was not ruptured, the High
Court had held that there was penetration which had           B
caused bleeding in the private parts of the prosecutrix as
would be evident from the fact that the underwear of the
prosecutrix was blood stained. The High Court was right
in holding· the appellant guilty of the offence of rape and
there was no merit in the contention that there was only      c
an attempt to rape and not rape by the appellant. [Paras
8 and 9) [459-E-H; 460-A, D-E, F-G]

      Wahid Khan vs.- State of Madhya Pradesh 2010 (2) SCC
9   =2009(15) SCR 1207 - relied on.                           D
      Modi in Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology (Twenty
First Edition) - referred to.

     2. The proviso to Section 376(1), IPC, as it stood prior
to its amendment in the year 2013 expressly states that E
the Court may impose a sentence of imprisonment for a
term of less than seven years in an offence under Section
376(1), IPC, "for adequate and special reasons to be
mentioned in the judgment". What is adequate and
special ·would depend upon several factors and on the
                                                              F
facts of each case and no straitjacket formula has been
laid down by this Court. The legislature, however,
requires the Court to record the adequate and special
reasons in any given case· where the punishment less
than the minimum sentence of seven years· is to be
imposed. The conduct of the accused at the time of G
commission of the offence of rape, age of the prosecutrix
and the consequences of rape on the prosecutrix are
some of the relevant factors which the Court should
consider while considering the question of reducing the
sentence to less than the minimum sentence. In the facts H
    454       SUPREME COURT REPORTS          (2014] 1 S.C.R.

A of the instant case, the prosecutrix was a student of
  eighth class and was about 14 years on 28.01.2001 and
  she was of a tender age. She had gone to the house of
  the appellant looking for her friend who was sister of the
  appellant. When she asked the appellant as to where the
B sister of the accused was, he told her that she was in the
  room and when she went inside the room, he followed
  her into the room, bolted the room from inside and
  forcibly put her on the cot. The appellant then took out
  the salwar and the underwear of the prosecutrix and
c raped her. As a result of this incident, her parents
  stopped her from going to the school and asked her to
  study eighth class privately. In view of the age of the
  prosecutrix, the conduct of the appellant and the
  consequences of the rape on the prosecutrix, there were
  not adequate and special reasons in this case to reduce
0
  the sentence to less than the minimum sentence under
  Section 376(1), IPC. [Paras 10, 16] (461-A-B; 463-F-H; 464-
  A-D]

      State of Rajasthan vs. N.K. The Accused (2000) 5 SCC
E 30 = 2000(2) SCR 818; Sukhwinder Singh vs. State of Punjab
  (2000) 9 SCC 204; Baldev Singh and Ors. vs. State of Punjab
  (2011) 13 SCC 705 = 2011 (15) SCR 927; State of Madhya
  Pradesh vs. Bablu Natt (2009) 2 SCC 272 = (2008) 17 SCR
  1096; State of Rajasthan vs. Vinod Kumar (2012) 6 SCC 770
F = 2012(6) SCR 1 - relied on.

       Narender Kumar vs. State (NCT of Delhi) 2012 (7) SCC
          =
    171 2012(6) SCR 148 - referred to.
                       Case Law Reference:
G
          2012(6) SCR 148      Para 4          referred to
          2000(2) SCR 818      Para 5          relied on
          (2000) 9 sec 204     Para 5          relied on
H         2011(15) SCR 927     Para 5          relied on
   PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF                    455
                   DELHI
    (2008) 17 SCR 1096        Para 7            relied on          A
    2012(6) SCR 1              Para 7            relied on
    2009(15) SCR 1207          Para 9            relied on
    CRIMINAL AP PELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal             B
No. 133 of 2006 .

     From the Judgment and Order dated 06.03.2003 of the
High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in Criminal Appeal No. 696
of 2002.
                                                                   c
      Jana Kalyan, Avijeet Bhujabal, Sandeep Devashish Das
S.K. Das, Swetaketu Mishra, D.M. Sharma, Parmanand Gaur
for the Appellant.

     Rakesh Khanna, ASG, S. Nanda, Kumar, C.B. Prasad,             D
D.S. Mahra, Anjani Aiyagari, Anil Katiyar for the Respondent.

    The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

     A.K. PATNAIK, J. 1. This is an appeal by way of special
leave under Article 136 of the Constitution against the judgment   E
dated 06.03.2003 of the Delhi High Court in Criminal Appeal
No. 696 of 2002 by which the conviction of the appellant under
Sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short
'IPC') and the sentences imposed by the trial court on the
appellant have been maintained.                                    F

Facts:

     2. The facts very briefly are that on 30.01.2001 at about
8.00 p.m., a young girl of about fourteen years accompanied
by her parents, lodged the First Information Report (for snort     G
'the FIR') in Police Station, Khajoori Khas, Delhi, in which she
stated as follows: She was a student of Higher Secondary
School and residing with her parents at House No.131, Gali
No.12, Khajoori Khas, Delhi. Opposite to their house was the
                                                                   H
    456     SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A house of Sardar Jagir Singh. Babbo, daughter of Sardar Jagir
  Singh, was her friend and she used to visit the house of Sardar
  Jagir Singh to meet Babbo. On 28.01.2001 at about 8.30 p.m.,
  the lights in the area went off and as the generator at the house
  of Sardar Jagir Singh was on, the prosecutrix went to meet
s Babbo. She enquired from the appellant, the son of Sardar
  Jagir Singh, as to whether Babbo was in the house and the
  appellant told her that Babbo was inside the room. When she
  entered inside the room, the appellant followed her into the
  room, bolted the room from inside and forcibly put her on the
c cot. When she raised an alarm, the appellant slapped her. He
  then took out her sa/war and underwear and raped her. He also
  threatened her with death if she narrated the incident to
  anybody. Out of fear and shame, she did not narrate the incident
  to anybody, but in the evening of 30.01.2001 she narrated the
  incident to her mother.
0
        3, On this statement of the girl (hereinafter referred to as
  'the prosecutrix'), a case under Sections 376 and 506, IPC,
  was registered on 30.01.2001. The prosecutrix was medically
  examined on the same night. On examination of the X-rays
E report of the prosecutrix, the doctor opined that her age was
  above fourteen years but below sixteen years. Her clothes and
  vaginal swab were sent to the Central Forensic Science
  Laboratory (for short 'CFSL') for analysis and as per the report
  from CFSL, human semen and blood was detected on the
F underwear of the prosecutrix, but no semen was detected in
  the vaginal swab. After investigation, a charge-sheet was filed
  against the appellant under Sections 342/354/376/506, IPC.
  Charges, however, were framed only under Sections 376 and
  506, IPC, and as the appellant pleaded not guilty, the trial was
G conducted. At the trial, as many as fifteen witnesses were
  examined on behalf of the prosecution including the prosecutrix.
  After considering the evidence on record, the trial court
   convicted the appellant under Sections 376 and 506, IPC. For
  the offence under Section 376, IPC, the trial court imposed the
H minimum sentence of seven years rigorous imprisonment and
   PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF                   457
           DELHI [A.K. PATNAIK, J.]

a fine of Rs.5,000/-, in default, rigorous imprisonm~nt for pne    A
year and for·the offence under Section 506, IPC, the trial court
imposed a sentence of tWo years imprisonment and a fine of
Rs.5,000/- and in default, a rigorous imprisonment of six
months. The trial court further directed that the sentences were
to run concurrently. Aggrieved, the appellant filed Criminal       B
Appeal No.696 of 2002 in the High Court, but by the impugned
judgment the High Court has dismissed the appeal.

Contentions of the parties:

     4. At the hearing of this appeal, Mr. Jana Kalyan Das, C
learned counsel for the appellant, submitted that at most this
is a case of attempt to rape and not rape and hence the
appellant should be held guilty under Sections 376/511, IPC,
and not under Section 376, IPC. He referred to the evidence
of the prosecutrix (PW-1) as. well as the medical evidence to D
support his submission that no offence of rape· as such has
been committed of the prosecutrix. He cited the decision of this
Court in Narender Kumar v. State (NCT of Delhi) [(2012 (7)4
sec 171] for the proposition that even in a case of rape, the
onus is always on the prosecution to prove affirmatively each E
ingredient of the offence it seeks to establish and such onus
never shifts and it is no part of the duty of the defence to explain
as to how and why in a rape case the victim and other
witnesses have falsely implicated the accused. He submitted
that in the event this Court finds that the appellant is guilty of F
the attempt to rape and not rape, he will be liable for half the
sentence provided for rape as will be clear from Section 511,
IPC.

     5. Mr. Das next submitted that the appellant while in jail
custody studied and passed Class 10 examination and has            G
also appeared in Class 12 examination as a candidate from
Central Jail, Tihar, Deihl, and has been released on bail after
undergoing three years and nine months of sentence and has
thereafter got married on 16.08.2007. He further submitted that
on 28.06.2008, a daughter has been born to him who is              H
    458     SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A studying in lower K.G. Class and on 13.06.2012, a second
  daughter has been born to him, who is on the lap of her mother.
  The appellant has filed on 12.02.2013 an affidavit stating all
  these facts. He submitted that as the appellant is the sole bread
  earner of the family and has been doing odd jobs in Delhi to
B earn a living for the family, his family will suffer immensely if he
  is to undergo imprisonment for the remaining period out of the
  seven years imprisonment imposed on him by the court. He
  submitted that under the proviso to Section 376(1 ), !PC, the
  court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned
c in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term
  of less than seven years. He submitted that on the facts and
  circumstances stated above, this Court should reduce the
   sentence in this case imposed on the appellant to the period
   already undergone so that his family does not suffer. In support
   of this submission, he cited the decisions of lnis Court in State
0
   of Rajasthan vs. N.K. The Accused [(2000) 5 SCC 30],
   Sukhwinder Singh vs. State of Punjab [(2000) 9 SCC 204] and
   Ba/dev Singh and Others vs. State of Punjab [(2011) 13 SCC
   705]

E      6. In reply, learned counsel for the State, Mr. Rakesh
  Khanna submitted that the prosecution has discharged its onus
  in establishing beyond reasonable doubt that the appellant has
  committed rape on the prosecutrix. He relied on the evidence
  of PW-1 as well as the report of the CFSL to show that it was
F not a case of only attempt to commit rape by the appellant. He
  submitted that the High Court was, therefore, right in coming
  to the conclusion that the appellant had committed rape on the
  prosecutrix.

G       7. On the question of sentence, Mr. Khanna submitted that
  this is a case where an offence has been committed on a minor
  girl and it is evident from the statement of prosecutrix (PW-1)
  that on account of the rape, her parents stopped her from going
  to school and she had to study 8th Class privately. He submitted
H that considering the serious nature of the sexual offence
   PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF                    459
           DELHI [A.K. PATNAIK, J.]
committed by the appellant on a minor girl, this is not a fit case   A
in which this Court should invoke the proviso to Section 376(1),
IPC and reduce the minimum sentence of seven years for the
offence of rape as provided in Section 376(1), IPC, to the
period already undergone by the appellant. He cited the
decisions of this Court in State of Madhya Pradesh vs. Bab/u         B
Natt [(2009) 2 SCC 272] and State of Rajasthan vs. Vinod
Kumar [(2012) 6 SCC 770] in which this Court, after
considering the language used in the proviso to Section 376(1 ),
IPC, has set aside the orders of the High Court imposing
sentences less than the minimum sentence of seven years in           c
cases of rape under Section 376, IPC.

Findings of the Court:

     8. The first question that we have to decide is whether the
High Court is right in coming to the conclusion that the appellant   D
was guilty under Section 376, IPC, for the offence of rape or
whether the evidence on record in this case only made out an
offence of attempt to rape under Section 376, IPC, read with
Section 511, IPC. We find that the High Court while coming to
the conclusion that the appellant was guilty of the offence of       E
rape under Section 376, IPC, has considered the evidence of
the prosecutrix (PW-1), the medical evidence and the report of
CFSL. The prosecutrix has stated that the appellant pushed her
on the cot, put off her underwear and sa/war and forcibly raped
her. The salwar and underwear of the prosecutrix, which she          F
was wearing at the time of incident, were sent to CFSL for
analysis and after examination the CFSL had found in its report
dated 30.04.2001 that there was human semen and blood on
the underwear of the prosecutrix referred to in the report as
Exhibit 4(B). Hence, there is corroboration of the testimony of      G
the prosecutrix that rape was committed on her.

     9. PW-15, the doctor who conducted the medical
examination of the prosecutrix on 31.01.2001, however, has
stated that there was no sign of injury on the prosecutrix and
the hymen was found intact. The High Court has considered this       H
    460       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                    [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A evidence and has held that the non-rupture of hymen is not
  sufficient to dislodge the theory of rape and has relied on the
  following passage from Modi in Medical Jurisprudence and
  Toxicology (Twenty First Edition):

          "Thus, to constitute the offence of rape it is not necessary
B
          that there should be complete penetration of penis with
          emission of semen and rupture of hymen. Partial
          penetration of the penis within the Labia majora or the vulva
          or pudenda with or without emission of semen or even an
          attempt at penetration is quite sufficient for the purpose of
c         the law. It is, therefore, quite possible to commit legally the
          offence of rape without producing any injury to the genital
          or leaving any seminal stains."

  Section 375, IPC, defines the offence of 'rape' and the
D Explanation to Section 375, IPC, states that penetration is
  sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the
  offence of rape. This Court has accordingly held in Wahid Khan
  v. State of Madhya Pradesh [(2010) 2 SCC 9] that even the
  slightest penetration is sufficient to make out an offence of rape
E and depth of penetration is immaterial. In the aforesaid case,
  this Court has relied on the very same passqge from Modi in
  Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology (Twenty Second
  Edition) quoted above. In the present case, even though the
  hymen of the prosecutrix was not ruptured the High Court has
F held that there was penetration which has caused bleeding in
  the private parts of the prosecutrix as would be evident from
  the fact that the underwear of the prosecutrix was stained by
  blood. In our considered opinion, the High Court was right in
  holding the appellant guilty of the offence of rape and there is
G no merit in the contention of the learned counsel for the appellant
  that there was only an attempt to rape and not rape by the
  appellant.

       10. The next question that we have to consider is whether
  the Court should invoke the proviso to Section 376(1 ), IPC, and
H impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than
   PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF                     461
           DELHI [A.K. PATNAIK, J.]
seven years in this case. The proviso to Section 376(1 ), IPC,        A
as it stood prior to its amendment in the year 2013 expressly
states that the Court may impose a sentence of imprisonment
for a term of less than seven years in an offence under Section
376(1), IPC, "for adequate and special reasons to be
mentioned in the judgment". We may now consider the cases             B
cited by the learned counsel for the parties in which this Court
has considered whether or not the proviso should be invoked
to reduce the sentence to less than the minimum sentence in
cases of rape.

      11. In State of Rajasthan vs. N.K. The Accused (supra),         C
cited by the learned counsel for the appellant, this Court found
that the accused had committed rape on the prosecutrix who
was a married woman. This Court found that that the incident
was of the year 1993 and the accused was taken into custody
by the police on 03.11.1993 and he was not allowed bail and           D
during trial and during hearing of the appeal, he remained in
jail and it was only on 11.10.1995 when the High Court acquitted
him of the charge that he was released from jail. This Court held
that though the accused had remained in jail for a little less than
two years and taking into consideration the period of remission       E
for which he would have been entitled as well as the time which
has elapsed from the date of commission of the offence, the
accused should not be sent back to jail and reduced the
sentence to the period already undergone by him.
                                                                      F
     12. In Sukhwinder Singh vs. State of Punjab (supra), cited
by the learned counsel for the appellant, this Court found that
the prosecutrix was a consenting party to the act of sexual
intercourse and that she had willingly left her parents' house to
be with the appellant but she was found to be "not more than          G
sixteen years of age" and on that account, the High Court had
upheld the conviction of the appellant. This Court held that as
the prosecutrix had since got married and she did not want the
matter to be carried any further and wanted to lead a happy
and healthy married life with her husband and had filed a
                                                                      H
    462    SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A   compromise petition to that effect, there were adequate and
    special reasons to reduce the sentence to the period already
    undergone by the accused.

       13. In Ba/dev Singh and Others vs State of Punjab
  (supra), cited by the learned counsel for the appellant, the
8
  accused was found guilty of gang rape under Section
  376(2)(g), IPC, for which the minimum sentence was ten years
  rigorous imprisonment. The proviso to Section 376(2), IPC,
  however, stated that the Court may, for adequate and special
  reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence
C of imprisonment of either description for a term of less than ten
  years. This Court held on the facts of the case that as the
  incident happened in the year 1997 and as the parties have
  themselves entered into a compromise, the sentence be
  reduced to the period already undergone in view of the proviso
D to Section 376(2)(g), IPC.

       14. In State of Madhya Pradesh vs. Bablu Natt (supra),
  cited by the learned counsel for the State, this Court, on the
  other hand, did not find good and adequate reasons to reduce
E the sentence to less than the minimum sentence of seven years
  under Section 376(1), IPC, because of the fact that the
  prosecutrix was a minor and had been subjected to rape and
  was compelled to live for several days with the accused at
  Chhatarpur and set aside the judgment of the High Court insofar
F as it imposed a sentence of less than seven years.

       15. In State of Rajasthan vs. Vinod Kumar (supra), cited
  on behalf of the State, the accused-Vinod Kumar had been
  convicted by the trial court under Section 376, IPC, and
  sentenced to seven years imprisonment. The High Court,
G however, reduced the sentence to five years imprisonment
  without recording adequate and special reasons for doing so.
  This Court held that the High Court failed to ensure compliance
  with the mandatory requirement of the proviso to Section 376(1 ),
  IPC, to record adequate and special reasons. This Court, after
H considering the earlier decisions of this Court, held:
   PARMINDER ALIAS LADKA POLA v. STATE OF                    463
           DELHI [A.K. PATNAIK, J.]
    "23. Thus, the law on the issue can be summarised to the A
    effect that punishment should always be proportionate/
    commensurate to the gravity of offence. Religion, race,
    caste, economic or social status of the accused or victim
    are not the relevant factors for determining the quantum of
    punishment. The court has to decide the punishment after B
    considering all aggravating and mitigating factors and the
    circumstances in which the crime has been committed.
    Conduct and state of mind of the accused and age of the
    sexually assaulted victim and the gravity of the criminal act
    are the factors of paramount importance. The court must c
    exercise its discretion in imposing the punishment.
    objectively considering the facts and circumstances of the
    case.

    24. The power under the proviso is not to be used
    indiscriminately in a routine, casual and cavalier manner        D
    for the reason that an exception clause requires strict
    interpretation. The legislature introduced the imposition of
    minimum sentence by amendment in IPC w.e.f. 25-12-
    1983, therefore, the courts are bound to bear in mind the
    effect thereof. The court while exercising the discretion in     E
    the exception clause has to record "exceptional reasons"
    for resorting to the proviso. Recording of such reasons is
    sine qua non for granting the extraordinary relief. What is
    adequate and special would depend upon several factors
    and no straitjacket formula can be laid down."                   F

     16. It is, therefore, clear that what is adequate and special
would depend upon several factors and on the facts of each
case and no straitjacket formula has been laid down by this
Court. The legislature, however, requires the Court to record        G
the adequate and special reasons in any given case where the
punishment less than the minimum sentence of seven years is
to be imposed. The conduct of the accused at the time of
commission of the offence of rape, age of the prosecutrix and
the consequences of rape on the prosecutrix are some of the          H   .'
   464      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [2014] 1 S.C.R.


A relevant factors which the Court should consider while
  considering the question of reducing the sentence to less than
  the minimum sentence. In the facts of the present case, we find
  that the prosecutrix was a student of eighth class and was about
  14 years on 28.01.2001 and she was of a tender age. She had
B gone to the house of the appellant looking for her friend Babbo,
  the sister of the appellant. When she asked the appellant as to
  where the sister of the accused was, he told her that she was
  in the room and when she went inside the room, he followed
  her into the room, bolted the room from inside and forcibly put
c her on the cot. The appellant then took out the salwar and the
  underwear of the prosecutrix and raped her. As a result of this
  incident, her parents stopped her from going to the school and
  asked her to study eighth class privately. Considering the age
  of the prosecutrix, the conduct of the appellant and the
  consequences of the rape on the prosecutrix, we do not think
0
  that there are adequate and special reasons in this case to
  reduce the sentence to less than the minimum sentence under
  Section 376(1), IPC.

      17. In the result, we do not find any merit in this appeal and
E we accordingly dismiss the same.

    D.G.                                       Appeal dismissed.