Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018

(1) This Act may be called the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018. (2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 21st day of April, 2018.

section 376D", the words, figures and letters "section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB" shall be substituted.

(a) in sub-section (1), for the words "shall not be less than seven years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine", the words "shall not be less than ten years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine" shall be substituted; (b) in sub-section (2), clause (i) shall be omitted; (c) after sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely: "(3) Whoever, commits rape on a woman under sixteen years of age shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than twenty years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, and shall also be liable to fine: Provided that such fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim: Provided further that any fine imposed under this sub-section shall be paid to the victim.".

"376AB. Whoever, commits rape on a woman under twelve years of age shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than twenty years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, and with fine or with death: Provided that such fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim: Provided further that any fine imposed under this section shall be paid to the victim.".

"376DA. Where a woman under sixteen years of age is raped by one or more persons constituting a group or acting in furtherance of a common intention, each of those persons shall be deemed to have committed the offence of rape and shall be punished with imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, and with fine: Provided that such fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim: Provided further that any fine imposed under this section shall be paid to the victim. 376DB. Where a woman under twelve years of age is raped by one or more persons constituting a group or acting in furtherance of a common intention, each of those persons shall be deemed to have committed the offence of rape and shall be punished with imprisonment for life,which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, and with fine, or with death: Provided that such fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim: Provided further that any fine imposed under this section shall be paid to the victim.".

as the Evidence Act), for the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D", the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB" shall be substituted.

(i) in the first proviso, for the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D", the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB," shall be substituted; (ii) in the second proviso, in clause (a), for the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D", the words, figures and letters "section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB," shall be substituted.

(i) in sub-section (1A), for the words "rape of a child may be completed within three months", the words, figures and letters "an offence under sections 376, 376A, 376AB, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376DA, 376DB or 376E of the Indian Penal Code shall be completed within two months" shall be substituted; (ii) in sub-section (2), in clause (i), in sub-clause (h), for the word, figures and letters "section 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376D", the word, figures and letters "sections 376, 376A, 376AB, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376DA, 376DB" shall be substituted.

"(4) When an appeal has been filed against a sentence passed under section 376, section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB or section 376E of the Indian Penal Code, the appeal shall be disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal.".

"(4) When an appeal has been filed against a sentence passed under section 376, section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB or section 376E of the Indian Penal Code, the appeal shall be disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal.".

"(4) Nothing in this section shall apply to any case involving the arrest of any person on accusation of having committed an offence under sub-section (3) of section 376 or section 376AB or section 376DA or section 376DB of the Indian Penal Code.".

(a) in sub-section (1), after the first proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: "Provided further that the High Court or the Court of Session shall, before granting bail to a person who is accused of an offence triable under sub-section (3) of section 376 or section 376AB or section 376DA or section 376DB of the Indian Penal Code, give notice of the application for bail to the Public Prosecutor within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of the notice of such application."; (b) after sub-section (1), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely: "(1A) The presence of the informant or any person authorised by him shall be obligatory at the time of hearing of the application for bail to the person undersub-section (3) of section 376 or section 376AB or section 376DA or section 376DB of the Indian Penal Code.".

OFFENCES UNDER THE INDIAN PENAL CODE", (a) for the entries relating to section 376, the following entries shall be substituted, namely: (b) after the entries relating to section 376A, the following entries shall be inserted, namely: (c) after the entries relating to section 376D, the following entries shall be inserted, namely: