Merely Because 16-Yr-Old Sexual Abuse Survivor Smokes Not Ground To Say He Is Of Deviant Character: Kerala HC Upholds Conviction U/S 377 IPC

The Kerala High Court ruled that the testimony of teens cannot be deemed unreliable solely due to their age in a case involving Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The case concerned the prosecution of an individual under Section 377 for engaging in unnatural sexual acts with a minor. The court emphasized that while teenagers may make mistakes, their testimonies should not be automatically dismissed as unreliable. This ruling underscores the importance of treating minors' statements with care and considering them as valid evidence, provided they are corroborated by other facts.