Holding

Intercourse with a girl under sixteen constitutes rape irrespective of consent, and Section 366A does not apply because the required element of intercourse with a person other than the accused is absent.

Summary

The appellant Iqbal and a co-accused were charged with kidnapping and raping a girl who was under 14 years of age. The trial court convicted both under Sections 366A and 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Section 34, and the High Court affirmed the conviction of Iqbal while acquitting the co-accused. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the victim's alleged consent could bar a rape charge and whether the facts satisfied the elements of Section 366A. The Court held that under the sixthly clause of Section 375, sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 is rape irrespective of consent, so the conviction under Section 376 stands. However, Section 366A requires that the illicit intercourse be with a person other than the accused, which was not established; therefore, the conviction under Section 366A was set aside. The appeal was partly allowed, maintaining the rape conviction and overturning the kidnapping‑and‑forced‑intercourse conviction.

Issues considered

Whether consent of a girl under sixteen can negate the offence of rape under Sections 375 and 376 IPC.
Whether the facts of the case satisfy the essential ingredients of Section 366A IPC.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. 161
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 34, s. 366A, s. 375, s. 376

Subjects

rapeminorconsentkidnappingSection 366ASection 376Indian Penal Codecriminal lawsexual offences

Judgment

I
),
I

IQBAL A
v.
STATE OF KERALA

OCTOBER 24, 2007
B,
)._
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND P. SATHASIVAM, JJ.J
y·
Penal Code, 1860-ss. 366A, 375 and 376-Kidnapping and
Rape-Of girl of less than 14 years of age-With her consent-
Conviction by courts below-On appeal, held: Accused liable to be c
convicted u/s 3 76-Intercourse with woman ofless than 16 years age,
even if with consent, would amount to rape-However, he is liable to
be acquitted u/s 366 A-Essential ingredient for attracting s. 366A not
established
D
-y Appellant-accused with a co-accused was charged u/ss 366A
and 376 r/w s. 34 IPC. Prosecution case was that both the accused
in furtherance of their common intention of kidnapping, procured a
girl ofless than 14 years of age (PW 2) and thereafter appellant-
accused committed rape on her. In trial, accused tried to prove that
she was in love with appellant-accused; that she went with the E
accused on her own will; and that intercourse was committed with
consent. Trial court convicted both the accused under the offences
charged. High court confirmed conviction of the appellant-accused,
and acquitted the co-accused of all the charges. Hence the present
appeal. F

Partly allowing the appeal, the Court

HELD: 1. Clause 'sixthly' of Section 375 IPC clearly stipulates
that sexual intercourse with a woman with her or without her consent
when she is under 16 years of age, amounts to rape. The evidence G
.
(
·~ on record clearly establishes that the victim was less than 16 years
of age and, therefore, the conviction for offence punishable under
Section 376 IPC cannot be faulted. [Para 8] [659-H; 660-A]

655 H
656 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 11 S.C.R.

·;'
A 2. In order to attract Section 366A IPC, essential ingredients
are (1) that the accused induced a girl; (2) that the person induced
was a girl under the age of eighteen years; (3) that the accused has
induced her with intent that she may be or knowing that it is likely
that she will be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse; (4) such
B intercourse must be with a person other than the accused; (5) that
the inducement caused the girl to go from any place or to do any
act. In the instant case, the admitted case of the prosecution is that ,A

girl had left in the company of the accused of her own will and that ,-~

she was not forced to sexual intercourse with any person other than
c the accused. The admitted case is that she had sexual intercourse
with the accused for which, considering her age, conviction under
Section 376 IPC has been maintained. Since the essential ingredient
that the intercourse must be with a person other than the accused
has not been established, Section 366A has no application.
D [Paras 9 and 10] [660-B-D]
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No.
~·
1463 of 2007.
From the Judgment and final Order dated 27.09.2006 of the High
E Court of Kerala at Emakulam in Crl. A. No. 708 of 1998.
U.U. Lalit, M. Gireesh Kumar and Vijay Kumar for the Appellant.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. 1. Leave granted.
F
2. The challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of the learned Single _}-
Judge of Kerala High Court dismissing the appeal filed by the appellant,
while directing the acquittal of the co-accused. Both the accused were
convicted by the learned IInd Additional Assistant Sessions Judge,
G Thrissur for offences punishable under Sections 366A and 376 read with
Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short 'IPC').
-I
3. Custodial sentence of two years and fine of Rs.10,000/- with ,,;''

default stipulation, sentences of three years and fine ofRs.3,000/-were
with default stipulation for the offences punishable under Sections 376 and
H 366A read with Section 34 IPC respectively.
;
;
IQBALv. STATE[PASAYAT,J.] 657

4. The background facts, as projected by prosecution in nutshell.are A
as follows:
On 18. l 0.1993 at 7.00 a.m. both the accused, in furtherance of their
common intention of kidnapping, induced and procured a minor teenage
girl (P.W.2), who had not attained the age of 14 and seduced her to have B
illicit intercourse with the first accused and first accused took her to
Mahadevapuran1 in Coimbatore District and committed rape in the hou.Se
of CW8 at Mahadevapuram. Since PW2 did not come back to her
house, after making necessary enquiries, PWl, father of PW2, went to
Cheruthuruthy Police Station and lodged first information statement and
originally man-missing case was registered as Crime No.96of1993. The C
girl was not found out. Finally, a criminal M.C. was filed before the High
Court and on the basis of the direction of the High Court, the Circle
Inspector of Police found out PW2 and subsequently arrested the accused,
continued the investigation and charge was laid. The girl was produced
before the Judicial First Class Magistrate's Court, Wadakkancherry on D
30.11.1993 and it was recorded that she had stated to the Magistrate
that she was studying in ninth standard and she was staying with her father.
She was taken from the tuition center while she was going to Akshaya
Tuition Centre, Ceruthuruthy. She stated that she went with Iqbal, appellant
and first accused, on her own will to Coimbatore on 18. l 0.1993 from E
Akshaya Tuition Centre. They were friends. Friend of first accused,
namely, Sasi was also with them. They changed the vehicles and finally
second accused, Sasi did not accompany them till Coimbatore. She also
stated that she had intercourse with Iqbal, first accused, at Coimbatore
and not with any other persons, that she was aged thirteen years and six F
months at that time and she was with Iqbal till she was produced before
the Court. Statement under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973 (in short 'Cr.P.C. ')given by her to the police was also
more or less on the same lines. But, before the Court, she deposed in
examination-in-Chief that she and her friend PW4 went to the tuition center G.
and an autorikshaw came there. From the autorikshaw, A2 Sasi and Al
Iqbal, got down and Al told her to get into the autorikshaw to tell
something and on his persuasion she got into the autorikshaw and both
of them took her to a place called Kolappully. Thereafter, A2 brought a
car and they went upto Palakkad and A2 Sasi left. From there, they went H
I

/~
\,
658 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] I I S.C.R.

A to Coimbatore by bus. They took food and A 1 took her to a hotel and
forced her for intercourse and thereafter they went to cinema etc.
Thereafter, they came to the house of CW8 and they were staying in that
house. During cross-examination main endeavour of the accused was to
show that she came with him on her own will. Letters written by PW2,
B Exts. 01to03, were also produced and marked to show that PW2 and
AI were in love and that was not allowed by the parents. Further, in cross
examination, he asked specifically whether she agreed for intercourse
willingly to show that intercourse was committed with consent. Evidence
of PW4 also supports the evidence of PW2. Evidence of PWs 8 and 9
c doctors show that she had intercourse. Evidence shows that she went with
her own will and intercourse also was done voluntarily and not by force.
It is clear from the evidence that they were in love and wanted to marry,
but parents of PW2 objected. Hence, they together eloped and there is
no kidnapping. School certificate as well as the deposition of father of
D PW2 shows that she was aged only 13 years and nine months at the time
of incident. Hence, consent cannot be taken as valid.
5. Placing reliance on evidence of PW2, who is the victim, the learned
Trial Court found both the accused persons guilty and sentenced them as
aforesaid. In appeal, the High Court by the impugned judgment, noted
E that the charges have been established so far as the appellant is concerned,
while directing the co-acquittal of the co-accused.
6. In support of the appeal, learned counsel for the appellant
submitted that the evidence of the victim PW2 clearly shows that she was
F in love with the appellant and had gone with him on her own will. Letters ,)-
(Ex. DI to 03) clearly established this fact. It was further submitted that
the evidence of PW2 indicated that though victim and appellant were in
love, the parents objected to it. It is also pointed out that in the cross-
examination she had admitted that she had sexual intercourse with the
G appellant on her own free will and consent and there was no force used.
The High Court, however, found that girl victim was aged about 13 years
and 9 months and, therefore, the consent was of no consequence so far ,}
as allegation of rape is concerned. The conviction as recorded by the Trial
Court was affirmed. However, on special circumstances which had
H weighed, the High Comt imposed the sentence below the prescribed
l IQBAL v. STATE [PASAYAT,J.] 659

minimum, reduced the sentence to three years rigorous imprisonment and A
fine ofRs.10,000/- in respect of the offence punishable under Section
376 IPC. However, his conviction and sentence relating to Section 366A
was affirmed. The sentences imposed were directed to run concurrently.
As noted above, the stand of the appellant was that there was no rape
involved and in any view, Section 366A has no application. B
7. So far as the legality of conviction for offence punishable under
y•
Section 376 IPC is concerned, Section 375 IPC needs to be noted. The
same reads as follows:
375. Rape.- A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in th~ c
cases hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a womart
under circun1stances falling under any of the six exceptions:-
First- Against her will.
Secondly- Without her consent. D
Thirdly- With her consent, when her consent has been obtained
by putting her on any person in whom she is interested in fear of
death or of hurt.
Fourthly - With her consent, when the man knows he is not her E
husband, and that her consent is given because she believed tha~
he is another man to whom she is or believed herself to be lawfull)'\
married. 1

Fifthly - With her consent, when, at the time of giving such consen4
by reason of unsoundness of mind or intoxication or the F
administration by him personally or through another of any
stupefying or unwholesome the nature and consequences of that
to which she gives consent.
Sixthly - with or without her consent, when she is under sixteen G
years of age. "

8. Clause 'sixthly' clearly stipulates that sexual intercourse with a
woman with her or without her consent when she is under 16 years of
age, aniounts to rape. The evidence on record clearly establishes that the
H
660 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 11 S.C.R.

A victim was less than 16 years of age and, therefore, the conviction for
offences punishable under Section 376 IPC cannot be faulted.
9. The residual question is of applicability of Section 366A IPC. In
order to attract Section 366A IPC, essential ingredients are (1) that the
accused induced a girl; (2) that the person induced was a girl under the
B age of eighteen years; (3) that the accused has induced her with intent
that she may be or knowing that it is likely that she will be forced or
seduced to illicit intercourse; (4) such intercourse must be with a person
other than the accused; (5) that the inducement caused the girl to go from
any place or to do any act.
c
10. In the instant case, the admitted case of the prosecution is that
girl had left in the company of the accused of her own will and that.she
was not forced to sexual intercourse with any person other than the
accused. The admitted case is that she had sexual intercourse with the
D accused for which, considering her age, conviction under Section 376 IPC
has been maintained. Since the essential ingredient that the intercourse must
be with a person other than the accused has not been established, Section
366A has no application.
11. In the result, the conviction for offence punishable under Section
E 366A IPC is set aside while the conviction and sentence imposed in
respect of offence punishable under Section 376 IPC is maintained.
12. The appeal is allowed to the aforesaid extent. i .

K.K.T. Appeal Partly allowed.
F

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