The Kerala High Court refused to confirm the trial court's death sentence on finding that the crime could not be categorized as being a "rarest of rare" case, and in view of the rehabilitation prospects of the convict.
Justice Devan Ramachandran said that victims of sexual assault can be men as well and not just women, adding that there has been an increase in cases where boys were victims of child sexual assault.
The Court said that encroachers of government land are not entitled to any equity and there is no public interest to assign a property when there is admitted encroachment.
"I would like to suggest, if you want you can cooperate with the summons once. This is just a suggestion. I will ensure there is no arrest, no intimidation," single-judge Justice Devan Ramachandran said.