Overview
- Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi upheld the conviction under Section 354 for using criminal force paired with unwelcome romantic overtures.
- The court set aside the POCSO conviction after finding the prosecution did not establish the victim’s age through primary records.
- The punishment was reduced from three years’ rigorous imprisonment to one year, noting the accused was 19 and no further objectionable acts were proved.
- The accused, who is on bail, was ordered to surrender before the trial court to serve the remaining sentence.
- The judgment explained the legal meaning of “modesty” using dictionary definitions and Supreme Court precedents and noted the conduct as highly objectionable in rural contexts.