Attorney General slams Bombay HC acquittal of POCSO accused

Discharge over lack of ‘skin-to-skin’ contact would set a dangerous precedent: Venugopal

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal in the Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Bombay High Court’s decision to charged with assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) solely on the ground that he groped the child over her clothes without ‘skin-to-skin’ contact. “Someone can wear a surgical glove and exploit a child and get away scot-free... This is an outrageous order,” Mr. Venugopal exclaimed. Mr. Venugopal had against the High Court in his constitutional capacity as the Attorney General. He had argued that the order would set a “very dangerous precedent” and cripple the intention of POCSO to punish sexual offenders.