Sets out punishment for rape: rigorous imprisonment of not less than 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, plus a fine. Where the victim is under 16, the minimum rises sharply — rigorous imprisonment of not less than 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment (meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life) or death, plus a fine payable to the victim.
- The minimum sentence scales up specifically based on the victim's age — the law treats offences against minors as categorically more severe, not just as an aggravating factor.
The severity of the minimum sentence itself signals how seriously the law treats offences against minors specifically — this sits alongside the POCSO Act, which also applies to offences against children.
Related law
The underlying definition this punishment provision attaches to
Keep exploring
Rape — Definition
This is the foundational definition; the punishment provisions (ordinary, aggravated, and gang rape) build on top of it.
Gang Rape
The law deliberately does not let group involvement reduce individual responsibility — each person in the group is treated as if they alone committed the offence.
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