Equivalent Citation: JT2009(12)SC92, 2009(6)SCALE726

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Criminal Appeal No. 764/2007 Decided On: 01.05.2009 Appellants: Vikram Singh Vs. Respondent: State of Har ana Hon!"#e $%&ges' Ari it !asa"at and Aso# $%mar &an'%l"( )). Co%nse#s' *or Appellant/!etitioner/!lainti++: ,%s-il $r.( ,r. Ad..( Anil $a%s-i#( /ina" Arora( Deepa# )ain( Adit"a $%mar( 0ar" 0it1"( &opal ,in'- C-a%-an and ,-i. !ra#as- !ande"( Ad.s. *or Respondents/De+endant: 2./. &eor'e and ,-ino $. Nara"anan( Ad.s. S%"(e)t' Crimina# A)ts*R%#es*Or&ers' )%.enile )%stice Act( 19364 )%.enile )%stice 5Care and !rotection o+ C-ildren6 Act( 2000 7 ,ection 25164 )%.enile )%stice 5Care and !rotection o+ C-ildren6 R%les( 2007 7 R%le 97526 Prior Histor * High Co%rt Stat%s' *rom t-e )%d'ment and Order dated 26.05.2006 o+ t-e 8on9:le 8i'- Co%rt o+ ,tates o+ !%n a: and 8ar"ana at C-andi'ar- in Criminal Appeal No. 3647D; o+ 199< 50AN=/!8/1259/20066 $UD+MENT Ari(it Pasa at, $. 1. 8eard learned Co%nsel +or t-e parties. 2. 2-e contro.ers" lies >it-in a .er" narro> compass >-ic- relates to le'alit" o+ t-e proceedin's :e+ore t-e learned ,essions )%d'e( $%r%#s-etra( in dealin' >it- t-e present matter. Accordin' to t-e appellant( -e >as a )%.enile >-en t-e occ%rrence too# place on 20/2/1996. 2-e appellant >as s-o>n to -a.e :een arrested on 1/3/1996. 3. Rel"in' on t-e certi+icate iss%ed :" t-e Central ;oard o+ ,econdar" ?d%cation it is contended t-at t-e appellant >as :orn on 4.5.19<0 and on t-e date o+ incident -e >as :elo> 16 "ears o+ a'e. On 5/6/199<( t-e appellant >as con.icted +or li+e imprisonment and ot-er terms :et>een 7 and 10 "ears. 4. At t-e time o+ con.iction t-e )%.enile )%stice Act( 1936 5-ereina+ter re+erred to as 919<6 Act96 >as in operation.

5. 2-e 19<6 Act >as s%:se@%entl" repealed :" )%.enile )%stice 5Care and !rotection o+ C-ildren6 Act( 2000 5-ereina+ter re+erred to as 92000 Act96. On 22.3.2006 ,ection 2516 o+ t-e Act >as amended statin' t-at A)%.enile in con+lict >it- la>A means %.enile >-o is alle'ed to -a.e committed an o++ence and -as not completed 1< "ears o+ a'e as on t-e date o+ commission o+ s%c- o++ence. 2-e )%.enile )%stice 5Care and !rotection o+ C-ildren6 R%les 2007 5-ereina+ter re+erred to as 92007 R%les96 >ere :ro%'-t into +orce on 26t- Octo:er 2007. 6. As per R%le 97526 all t-e cases pendin' >-ic- -a.e not recei.ed a +inalit" >ill :e dealt >it- and disposed o+ in terms o+ t-e pro.isions o+ t-e 2000 Act as amended on 22/</2006 and 2007 R%les. Bt appears t-at t-e 8i'- Co%rt %d'ment is o+ 26/5/2006 >-en t-e R%le 97526 as applica:le >as not in eCistence as it >as :ro%'-t into +orce in 2007 5i.e. 26t- Octo:er( 20076. 7. De are o+ t-e .ie> t-at t-e appellant is entitled to t-e :ene+it %nder t-e pro.isions o+ 2000 Act as amended +rom 22.<.2006( and 2007 R%les. 2-ere+ore >-ile con+irmin' t-e con.iction( considerin' t-e period o+ c%stod" alread" s%++ered :" t-e appellant( >e direct t-at -e s-all :e released +rom c%stod" +ort->it- %nless -e is re@%ired in c%stod" in an" ot-er case. Normall" >e >o%ld -a.e remitted t-e matter to :e dealt >it- :" t-e appropriate Co%rt. ;%t considerin' t-e lon' passa'e o+ time and period o+ c%stod"( >e -a.e passed t-e present order. <. 2-e appeal is allo>ed to t-e a+oresaid eCtent.