BHANWAR LAL vs STATE OF RAJASTHAN . — Crl.A. No. 19/2004

Summary: Crl.A. No. 19 of 2004 - Bhanwar Lal v. State of Rajasthan Outcome: The Supreme Court dismissed Bhanwar Lal's appeal on 28 April 2011. The Court upheld the High Court's acquittal of accused Nand Kishore, who had been convicted by the Trial Court under Section 376 IPC (rape). The Court found the High Court's findings "completely justified," accepting that the victim was more than 16 years of age at the time of the alleged incident and that the case involved consent. With the critical element of the victim's age established as above 16, the statutory rape charge could not stand. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.