Summary: In an important decision by the Bombay High Court, Ramesh Dada Kalel was sentenced to life in prison for raping a minor. The case, filled with debates about legal procedures, ultimately confirmed the trial court's decision.
On October 29, 2018, a 13-year-old girl went missing in Panvel, Raigad. Her mother, Ashabai, realized she was missing when she didn't come back from school after taking her epilepsy medicine at home. The search began, involving family and neighbors, including the accused, Ramesh Dada Kalel.
"The victim was suffering from epilepsy and used to return home at noon to take a tablet."
The next day, at 5:00 a.m., the victim came back home and told her mother that Ramesh, their neighbor, had raped her multiple times. She was allegedly trapped inside a bed box during the ordeal.
"The appellant... had forcibly taken the victim in his house and committed rape on her."
Ramesh was charged under several laws, including laws related to sexual assault and the protection of children. However, his defense argued there were mistakes in the legal process, claiming the charges included a law that had been removed, leading to a debate on whether the trial was valid.
"Clause (i) of sub-section 2 of Section 376 of the IPC, had been already deleted by an amendment in the year 2018."
The prosecution brought in 11 witnesses, including the victim, her mother, and medical experts. Despite the defense pointing out inconsistencies, the court found the victim's story believable.
"The evidence of the victim/prosecutrix-PW4 in the present case itself, was enough to sustain the conviction."
On January 19, 2026, Justices Manish Pitale and Manjusha Deshpande confirmed the trial court's decision, sentencing Ramesh to life in prison under the corrected law.
"The conviction under Section 376(2)(i) of the IPC is altered to that under Section 376(3) of the IPC."
Ramesh Dada Kalel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor after the court found his actions met the criteria under the correct legal sections, despite earlier procedural mistakes. The court emphasized the importance of protecting minors and ensuring justice is served.
