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Crime
Chhattisgarh HC overturns 2017 acquittal in Koriya POCSO case, imposes life term
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 01:03 PM
👁 4
The Chhattisgarh High Court set aside the 2017 acquittal of the accused in the Koriya POCSO case and sentenced them to life imprisonment, citing the survivor’s testimony.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has nullified the 2017 acquittal granted to the accused in a POCSO case from Koriya district and handed down a life‑term sentence. The bench emphasized that the survivor’s testimony was pivotal in reassessing the evidence.
The case, filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, involved allegations of sexual abuse against a minor in Koriya. After a lower court had cleared the accused in 2017, the survivor’s consistent statements prompted a fresh review by the high court.
In its judgment, the court noted discrepancies in the earlier trial and affirmed that the survivor’s account met the statutory standards of credibility. The life imprisonment reflects the court’s intent to deliver a deterrent message in child sexual abuse cases.
Legal experts view the decision as a reinforcement of victim‑centred jurisprudence, underscoring that acquittals can be revisited when new or reliable evidence emerges. The ruling also reaffirms the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the stringent provisions of the POCSO Act.
The case, filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, involved allegations of sexual abuse against a minor in Koriya. After a lower court had cleared the accused in 2017, the survivor’s consistent statements prompted a fresh review by the high court.
In its judgment, the court noted discrepancies in the earlier trial and affirmed that the survivor’s account met the statutory standards of credibility. The life imprisonment reflects the court’s intent to deliver a deterrent message in child sexual abuse cases.
Legal experts view the decision as a reinforcement of victim‑centred jurisprudence, underscoring that acquittals can be revisited when new or reliable evidence emerges. The ruling also reaffirms the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the stringent provisions of the POCSO Act.