Statutory Presumptions, Reverse Burden of Proof, and Rebuttal Standards Under the POCSO Act

sketch of the Supreme Court of India
Case
DEEPAK IN JC v. STATE GOVT. OF NCT DELHI (Supreme Court of India, 17-09-2026)
Law
Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Highlights of the Judgment:

  • Detailed examination of the scope and operational ambit of statutory presumptions under Sections 29 and 30 of the POCSO Act.
  • Analysis of the rule of reverse burden of proof and how an accused can successfully rebut it through preponderance of probabilities.
  • Evaluation of the harmonization between statutory presumptions of guilt and the constitutional right to a fair trial under Article 21.
  • Principles governing the evaluation of conflicting medical, forensic, and ocular evidence in sexual assault cases.