STATE Vs. RAMSANHE BHARDWAJ ALIAS AMAR RAJBHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD Shri C.A. Ferreira, learned Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State.

(2.) THIS Criminal Writ Petition is filed by the State and is directed against Order dated 12-5-2010 of the learned Children's Court, Panaji by which the Presiding Officer of the said Court has decided that an inquiry be held to find out whether the Respondent was a juvenile within the meaning of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.

(3.) WHEN the Respondent-Accused gave his plea of not guilty, it appears that the accused gave his age as 20 years, and this age, is stated to have been written down by him in the said plea; but when the statement of the accused was recorded, the accused told orally to the learned Judge that his age was 17 years. This was after the prosecution had examined all witnesses. Again, at the time of the arguments on behalf of the accused, it was reiterated that he was 17 years of age, and, therefore could not be tried by the Children's Court and had to be tried by the Juvenile Justice Board, constituted under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.