The Supreme Court bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao are hearing a case in which a group of boys belonging to high class families had threatened a 19-year-old girl with dire consequences if she did not send them her nude pictures. The girl, in great fear had surrendered her nude pictures and videos to them.

The trial court had sentenced the boys to jail and had also noted that under no circumstances should the quantum of punishment be reduced.

On Wednesday (February 7) the culprits’ counsel to provide assurance to the girl that her picture would not be circulated on the internet and then only will the court consider the plea of liberty and reduction of sentence of the culprits. The court said that no blackmailing will be tolerated and complete assurance is required from culprits’ side.

This case will be heard on February15.

The court has said that it will hear the matter only in respect of reducing the sentence as the appeal is pending.

The counsel of the culprits had requested the court to go through trial court order which has held that under no circumstances such sentence should be reduced.

The Supreme Court said that prima facie here the concern is to provide safety to the young girl and not to punish. So if the culprits agree to provide complete safety against the circulation of the picture and videos  then their sentence can be reduced.

-India Legal Bureau