Lok Prasad Limboo v. State of Sikkim
Sikkim High CourtMANU/SI/0100/2019Bench: J. Meenakshi Madan Rai
The Sikkim High Court held that the court has discretion under Section 31 CrPC to order sentences to run concurrently or consecutively. However, where POCSO and IPC offences are both proved and arise from an egregious act of sexual abuse of a child, the court should ordinarily order the sentences to run consecutively — not concurrently — so that the punishment is commensurate with the gravity of the crime and its impact on the child victim. An automatic concurrent sentence would amount to the court granting a discount on a serious crime. The sentences were directed to run consecutively.