Summary: In a case from Goa, two sisters, Anita and Kunda Naik, were accused of hitting a minor with an iron rod. The court found them not guilty of some charges but kept others.
On June 4, 2011, in Bhoma, Ponda, Goa, a minor was reportedly attacked by Anita and Kunda Naik. The incident happened when the victim was washing his face near a tap. Kunda allegedly held the victim while Anita hit him with an iron rod, causing head injuries.
On June 30, 2016, the Children's Court in Panaji found Anita and Kunda Naik guilty under several parts of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Goa Children’s Act. They were given fines and jail time.
"The Appellants are convicted for offenses under Section 504 and 324 read with Section 34 of IPC and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act."
The prosecution brought in eight witnesses, including the victim, his family, and a doctor from Goa Medical College who treated the injuries. The defense said the charges were because of a property dispute and suggested the injuries were accidental.
Anita and Kunda Naik challenged the decision. On February 3, 2026, Justice Shreeram V. Shirsat reviewed the appeal. The defense argued the charges were made up, while the prosecution stuck to the witness statements.
The court noticed some issues with the original charges:
Section 504 (Intentional Insult): The court found no intent to cause a fight and found Anita and Kunda Naik not guilty of this charge.
Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act: The court decided the incident didn't count as "child abuse" as defined under the act, leading to them being found not guilty of this charge.
"The Children’s Court has erred in convicting the Appellants under Section 8(2) of The Goa Children’s Act."
The conviction under Section 324 (causing hurt with a dangerous weapon) was kept. However, the court considered probation as an option, given the incident's nature and the time that has passed.
The case was sent back to the Children’s Court to think about probation for Anita and Kunda Naik. The court stressed the importance of giving people a chance to change and noted there haven't been more offenses since 2011.
The court decided that Anita and Kunda Naik were not guilty of some charges but were still guilty of causing harm with a dangerous weapon. They might be given probation instead of serving more time, considering the situation and the years that have passed without further incidents.
