Teasing while wearing gloves is not considered a crime? : Question from the Attorney General

Challenges the Bombay High Court's skin-to-skin touch judgment in the Supreme Court

High court acquits Poxo accused of pressing girl's breasts but not touching her skin

New Delhi: The Bombay High Court has acquitted one of the Poxo accused, saying the skin-to-skin contact did not prove the allegations in the case. The Supreme Court had stayed the High Court judgment.

Now, while arguments were going on in the Supreme Court, Attorney General KK Venugopal had said that if a man molested a woman wearing gloves, such an accused would not be punished as per the High Court judgment.

The Attorney General later moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Bombay High Court order. And said that the judgment of the Bombay High Court is insulting. Arguments before the Supreme Court found that neither of the two accused in the case was present in court.

A bench of Supreme Court judges UU Lalit and Ajay Rastogi said the accused were not present despite the notice. Now the Legal Services Committee will make the arguments. The entire case will be heard in the Supreme Court on September 14.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court had on January 27 issued a surprise order in which the court in Poxo's case said that the skin of the two did not touch each other when the accused touched the girl's breast. That is, there was clothing in between so it is not considered physical teasing. The Bombay High Court's verdict was discussed across the country.

The order has been stayed by the Supreme Court and further hearings are underway. While the arguments were going on, Attorney General Venugopal in the Supreme Court said, "If we follow the Bombay High Court's order, would it not be a crime for a man to get up tomorrow and tease a woman wearing gloves?" Venugopal also termed the High Court order as dangerous for the country.