(1.) This appeal has been preferred against the judgment and order, dated 8.3.2004, passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in Writ Petition (Civil) No.8573 of 2003 by way of which the High Court has set aside the order dated 3.4.2003 passed by the General Court Martial (hereinafter referred to as 'GCM'), that had awarded the punishment of dismissal from service and 7 years rigorous imprisonment (hereinafter referred to as 'RI') to the respondent. The High Court held that, under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as 'the JJ Act') the respondent could not be tried by GCM for the charges related to the period when he was juvenile and therefore, the GCM proceedings stood vitiated in entirety. However, the High Court has given liberty to the appellant to hold a fresh GCM, on the charges related to offences committed by the respondent after he attained the age of 18 years.
(2.) The facts and circumstances giving rise to this appeal are that:-
(3.) Shri Paras Kuhad, learned ASG appearing for the appellants, has submitted that the High Court has committed an error by holding that the entire GCM proceedings stood vitiated, for the reason that serious offences had been committed by the respondent after attaining the age of 18 years, and that at least with respect to such specific charges, the GCM proceeding could not be considered to have been vitiated. Additionally, even if the High Court had observed that the respondent was a juvenile at the time of some of the charged offences at most the sentence could have been quashed; the conviction should have been sustained. Thus, the appeal deserves to be allowed.