Madhya Pradesh court reduces rapist's life sentence

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has reduced the life sentence of Lalla Yadav, who was convicted of raping a mentally disabled minor. His sentence has been changed from life imprisonment to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court explained that Yadav was 33 years old at the time of the crime and was going through his youth. The judges noted he is now married with four children, which was considered a reason for leniency in his sentencing. The victim, a minor with a 60 percent mental disability, accused Yadav, her neighbor, of sexually abusing her. Evidence, including DNA found on the victim, supported the allegations. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Indian Penal Code. Yadav appealed the sentence, claiming he was innocent. He argued that the trial court did not justify the choice of a life sentence. The judges acknowledged the evidence against Yadav but found the original sentence too harsh without sufficient reasoning. The court noted that the law allows a minimum of 20 years for such crimes. It concluded that Yadav’s family obligations should be considered, leading to the sentence being reduced to 20 years. The original fine of Rs 20,000 remains unchanged.