Saying “I Love You” Does Not Prove Sexual Intent: Bombay High Court Acquits Accused in POCSO Case
⚖️ Background of the Case In a significant judgment delivered by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court , a 25-year-old man who had been convicted in a 2015 case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was acquitted. The case involved an allegation that the man harassed a 17-year-old girl by holding her hand and expressing the words, “I love you,” as she was returning from school. This resulted in the registration of a police complaint and criminal charges under Section 354A (sexual harassment) and Section 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as Section 8 of the POCSO Act . A sessions court in Nagpur had earlier sentenced the man to three years’ imprisonment , holding that his actions constituted sexual harassment under the prevailing laws. 🧑⚖️ High Court’s Observations and Reasoning The High Court, however, took a different view, setting aside the conviction. Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke , who delivered the verdict, str...