Uttarakhand HC Mandates Age Verification for Accused Individuals
The Uttarakhand High Court has mandated the verification of an accused's age in case of doubt, emphasizing transfer to the Juvenile Justice Board if the accused is a minor. The order ensures adherence in all criminal jurisdictions, requiring age determination through various official records and medical examination if necessary.
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- India
The Uttarakhand High Court has made it mandatory for magistrates and courts to verify the age of an accused if there's any doubt, emphasizing a case transfer to the Juvenile Justice Board for minors. The directive followed a judgment by Justice Ashish Naithani, revealing a minor involved in a Haridwar murder case.
The court remarked that the accused was 14 years, 7 months, and 8 days old at the time of the crime. Therefore, his case is to be moved to the Juvenile Justice Board. The high court ordered future age verifications to rely on birth certificates and school records, or on medical exams when necessary.
Furthermore, the court maintained the petitioner's bail order and the stay on his sentence while instructing the transfer of lower court records to the Juvenile Justice Board for a fresh decision. The directive by the Registrar General ensures all concerned courts comply and ascertain age during initial remand proceedings.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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