SC stays HC verdict that said groping a minor is not sex assault

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the acquittal of an accused in a sexual assault case of a minor by the Bombay High Court.

In a controversial ruling, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court had cleared a man of POCSO charges stating that groping a minor's breasts without skin-to-skin contact cannot be considered sexual harassment under POCSO.

The verdict led a widespread outrage and Attorney General KK Venugopal mentioned it before the SC on Wednesday saying the judgment is likely to set a dangerous precedent. A CJI-led bench allowed the AG to file an appropriate petition while staying the HC order.

The Bombay High Court gave the controversial order on January 19.

The judge was ruling on the order of a lower court that had sentenced a 39-year-old man to three years in jail for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.