The Supreme Court on March 24, 2026, set aside a Himachal Pradesh High Court judgment that had acquitted a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor girl. The Court held that minor inconsistencies in witness statements cannot outweigh clear and credible evidence in serious criminal cases.
Background of the Case
The case goes back to August 27, 2007. A nine-year-old girl was sent by her mother to fetch buttermilk. On her way back, she was allegedly taken into a cowshed by a neighbour’s son and sexually assaulted.
The child later informed her mother, who then told the father after he returned home. A police complaint was filed, and the victim underwent a medical examination. The report indicated injuries consistent with sexual assault.
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The Trial Court relied on the victim’s testimony, supported by medical and witness evidence, and convicted the accused. He was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment along with fines.
However, the High Court later overturned the conviction, pointing to contradictions in statements, delay in lodging the FIR, and doubts about whether the child could have travelled the distance described.
The Supreme Court disagreed with the High Court’s reasoning and said the focus had shifted too much toward minor inconsistencies.
“The approach… is one of attempting to pick holes in a case that otherwise has withstood the test of cross-examination,” the bench observed.
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The Court explained that small variations in testimony are natural and do not make the entire case unreliable. What matters is whether the core of the story remains consistent and trustworthy.
It also stressed that in cases of sexual assault, the victim’s testimony alone can be enough for conviction if it inspires confidence.
On the issue of travel distance, the Court noted that criminal cases do not require exact timelines to be proven with mathematical precision. Even if the timing was slightly off, it did not disprove the occurrence of the offence.
The medical evidence, the Court said, supported the victim’s account and could not be ignored.
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The Court also raised concern about the disclosure of the victim’s identity in case records.
It stated that the law clearly prohibits revealing the identity of survivors in such cases and said such lapses must be strongly discouraged.
The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s acquittal and restored the conviction of the accused.
The appeal filed by the State was allowed, and the accused was directed to surrender immediately and serve the remaining sentence.
Case Details
Case Title: State of Himachal Pradesh vs Hukum Chand @ Monu
Case Number: Criminal Appeal No. 1275 of 2015
(Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 9574 of 2018)
Bench / Judges: Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh
Decision Date: March 24, 2026
