High Court Orders Compensation for Unlawful Juvenile Detention

The Patna High Court has mandated the Bihar government to compensate a minor boy Rs 5 lakh after he was wrongfully jailed for over two months on theft charges. The court criticized officials for treating the juvenile as an adult and violating his rights.

The Patna High Court has ordered the Bihar government to provide Rs 5 lakh in compensation to a minor boy unlawfully detained for over two months on theft charges. The court condemned the investigative process, highlighting failures by officials to acknowledge the boy's juvenile status.

A division bench of Justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Ritesh Kumar criticized the officers for arresting the juvenile as an adult, despite insufficient evidence. The magistrate's court, too, was faulted for its mechanical decision to imprison the boy. An FIR listed the 16-year-old and others for assault and theft during a Panchayat meeting brawl in Madhepura district.

The bench emphasized multiple legal missteps, including a breach of the Juvenile Justice Act, and noted that the boy's rights were violated. The court ruled that compensation should be paid within a month to rectify this injustice and incurred legal expenses.

(With inputs from agencies.)