LLB Discussion: Child Sexual Offence, Juvenile Accused & Parental Moral Liability – A Legal and Social Analysis
Introduction
January 2026 mein North-East Delhi se saamne aaya ek case jahan 6 saal ki bachchi ke saath sexual offence hua, aur accused khud minors the. Case sirf isliye important nahi hai kyunki crime brutal tha, balki isliye bhi kyunki isne parenting failure, victim-blaming mindset, aur juvenile criminal psychology ko expose kiya.
Kuch reports ke mutabik, ek accused ki maa ka reaction deeply disturbing tha, jahan victim ko hi blame karne jaisi soch dikhai di. LLB students ke liye yeh case ek perfect intersection hai of Criminal law, Child protection law, Juvenile justice, Social responsibility.
Applicable Legal Provisions
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act)
Section 3 – Penetrative Sexual Assault
Agar koi vyakti kisi bachche ke saath penetrative sexual act karta hai, toh woh offence hai — irrespective of consent.
Key Point for Students:
Law mein child consent ka concept exist hi nahi karta.
Section 5 – Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault
Agar offence multiple persons ke dwara ho, vulnerable situation mein ho toh punishment aur strict ho jaati hai.
Section 19 – Mandatory Reporting
Kisi bhi person (including parents, teachers, doctors) ko agar child sexual offence ka knowledge ho, toh report karna mandatory hai.
Failure to report = legal offence
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
Section 2(33) – Heinous Offence
Jis offence ki punishment 7 saal ya usse zyada ho, woh heinous offence kehlaata hai. POCSO ke serious offences yahan cover hote hain.
Section 15 – Preliminary Assessment
Agar accused 16–18 years ka ho, toh Juvenile Justice Board assess karta hai
Mental capacity.
Understanding of consequences.
Circumstances of offence.
LLB Insight:
Reformative justice ka matlab yeh nahi ki offence ko lightly liya jaaye.
Can Minors Be “Rapists” in Law?
Yes. Legal language mein “child in conflict with law” term use hota hai, lekin
Crime ka seriousness kam nahi hota.
Victim ke trauma ka weight kam nahi hota.
Law label soft rakhta hai, accountability nahi.
Parental Responsibility & Moral Liability (Grey Area in Law)
Legal Position Indian criminal law directly parents ko sexual offence ke liye punish nahi karta sirf parenting failure ke liye.
Lekin:
Section 75 JJ Act – Cruelty to child.
Section 77 JJ Act – Abetment.
Agar prove ho jaaye ki parent ne neglect kiya, harmful environment allow kiya, criminal behaviour ko encourage ya justify kiya toh legal consequences possible hain.
Victim-Blaming by Parents: A Dangerous Social Evidence
Jab ek accused ki guardian publicly ya privately yeh mindset dikhati hai ki victim “deserve karti thi”, toh yeh legally prove nahi hota but
Court ke liye yeh kya show karta hai?
Absence of remorse
Toxic upbringing.
No corrective environment.
LLB Note:
Such attitudes are relevant during rehabilitation assessment and risk evaluation.
“Fatherless Behaviour” – Legal Term Nahi, Criminological Reality
Law mein “fatherless behaviour” term nahi hai, lekin criminology mein
Lack of supervision.
Absence of discipline.
No moral accountability.
Yeh sab risk factors maane jaate hain for juvenile delinquency.
Important:
Fatherless ka matlab sirf baap ka na hona nahi parenting ka emotionally absent hona.
Why This Case Matters for Law Students
Yeh case students ko sikhata hai
Child protection laws ka zero-tolerance nature. Juvenile justice ka reform vs deterrence debate. Parenting failure as a non-legal but powerful factor. Victim-blaming as a societal crime.
Conclusion
Yeh case sirf ek FIR nahi hai.
Yeh ek legal mirror hai jo dikhata hai
Jab ghar fail hota hai, toh court bharta hai.
Jab maa-baap zimmedari se bhaagte hain, toh bachche jurm tak pahunch jaate hain.
Law punishment de sakta hai,
lekin character sirf parenting bana sakti hai.
Justice sirf court se nahi,
ghar se shuru hota hai.
