The Karnataka High Court (Karnataka HC) while dealing with a criminal appeal arising out of a conviction order for the offence of rape on a deceased person has held that “a careful reading of Sections 375 and 377 of IPC makes it clear that a dead body cannot be called a human or person. Therefore, the provisions of Sections 375 or 377 would not attract.” It further noted that it is high time to make necrophilia – sexual attraction or act involving corpse(s) – an offence and recommended the Central Government to include those changes through amendment in the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
