"The punishment must have a deterrent effect," the Solicitor General submitted, adding that this was "one of the very peculiar circumstances" emerging from the case. The Solicitor General also objected to the defence's attempt to portray the prosecutrix's conduct after the incident as inconsistent with that of a victim of sexual assault. Concluding his submissions on sentence, the Solicitor General urged the High Court to send a clear constitutional message on sexual consent. He urged the Court to grant a reasonable period to approach the Supreme Court "with dignity." He was acquitted by the Trial Court in May 2021, following which, the state had filed an appeal before the Goa bench of the High Court of Bombay.