Latest news with #SanjeevNarula
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Quashing Pocso FIR, Delhi High Court directs accused to do community service at hospital
The Delhi High Court recently quashed an FIR under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act but expressed its 'disapproval' of the conduct of the accused and directed him to do community service 'as a measure of accountability and reflection'. Justice Sanjeev Narula quashed the FIR after an 'amicable resolution' of the case involving alleged harassment and exploitation of a minor girl. The court ordered the accused to perform community service at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital from June 1 to 30, where he will be instructed and assigned duties by the medical superintendent. 'In the event of any absenteeism, default, or misconduct on the part of the Petitioner during the course of the community service, the same shall be immediately reported by the Medical Superintendent to the concerned SHO, who shall, in turn, inform the APP for placing the matter before this Court and seeking appropriate orders, including revival of the FIR,' the court further directed. The court recorded that it is quashing the FIR 'solely out of deference to the express wishes of the Complainant and in the interest of her privacy'. This was after the complainant informed the court that she is currently exploring matrimonial prospects and wants to move on from the incident, further stating that a pending criminal case may pose a serious impediment to her future opportunities and personal relationships, as well as causing social stigma. As per the case, in 2017, the complainant shared private photographs with the accused. After they stopped communicating, the accused allegedly began demanding money from the complainant in February 2018, threatening to make the photographs public if their demands were not met. These demands continued until August 2019, when the complainant filed an FIR and a chargesheet was later filed in the case. The two subsequently 'amicably resolved their disputes' and signed a settlement deed in May this year, with the complainant agreeing to the quashing of the FIR. Justice Narula reasoned, 'The facts narrated disclose a pattern emblematic of the darker undercurrents of the social media age, where technology is misused to exert control, induce fear, and compromise dignity. Considering this, at the outset, the Court was not inclined to quash the FIR in a perfunctory manner… In the present case, bearing in mind the overarching aim of facilitating rehabilitation and the Complainant's express wish to put the matter behind her, the Court is of the view that no larger public interest would be compromised by allowing the petition.' Recording its disapproval of the conduct of the accused, the court noted that the allegations pertain to a deeply troubling pattern of coercion and intimidation directed at a school-going minor, including threats to publicly disseminate her private photographs in exchange for money. 'Such behaviour, if true, reflects a gross misuse of digital platforms and an alarming disregard for consent and personal dignity. Nevertheless, the Complainant has unequivocally expressed her desire to move on from this chapter, and has articulated social and emotional burden that the continued pendency of this criminal case may place upon her, particularly in the context of her future prospects, including marriage,' the court recorded. The court, however, left it open for the complainant to revive the FIR.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Community service saves the day for Pocso accused
NEW DELHI: The Delhi HC has quashed a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act after the complainant and her mother expressed their decision to move on from the incident. The Court directed the accused to perform one month of community service at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and deposit Rs 50,000 with the 'Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties.' Justice Sanjeev Narula passed the order in a case involving allegations of harassment and exploitation of a minor school-going girl. The Court stated that although it was initially not inclined to quash the FIR in a 'perfunctory manner,' it changed its view after a 'detailed and careful interaction' with the complainant and her mother. During the hearing, both made it clear that they had 'consciously chosen to move on from the incident.' 'They expressed that the Complainant is currently exploring matrimonial prospects, and that the pendency of a criminal case may result as a serious impediment to her future opportunities and personal relationships. Her mother specifically submitted that ongoing criminal proceedings of this nature are likely to create social stigma and could undermine the family's efforts to secure a suitable match for the Complainant,' the Court recorded in order dated May 27.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi HC orders community service to Pocso accused, revokes FIR
The Delhi high court has directed aman to offer one month community service at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital while quashing an FIR against him in 2019 for allegedly harassing a minor girl to share her private photographs in exchange for money. The court said the direction has been ordered as a 'measure of accountability and reflection'. 'The facts narrated disclose a pattern emblematic of the darker undercurrents of the social media age, where technology is misused to exert control, including fear and compromise dignity,' justice Sanjeev Narula said in his May 27 verdict, which was released on May 31. The matter arose when the man filed a plea last month, seeking to quash the FIR registered in 2019, asserting that he had settled a deed with the girl on May 6 2025 and she had given a no-objection to quashing the FIR. The judge has also imposed ₹50,000 penalty on the individual, observing that the behaviour reflected a 'gross misuse of digital platform and disregard for consent and personal dignity'. In the nine-page order, he added, 'The allegations pertain to a deeply troubling pattern of coercion and intimidation directed at a school-going minor, including threats to publicly disseminate her private photographs in exchange for money.' Notably, the FIR against the man was registered under sections 354 (outraging woman's modesty), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (outraging woman's modesty by words, gesture), 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 (sexual harassment of a child) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The judge also agreed to revoke the FIR after the complainant said that the pendency of the criminal case was acting as a serious impediment to her future opportunities and personal relationships, including prospects to marry. 'At the outset, the court was not inclined to quash the FIR in a perfunctory manner. However, after a detailed and careful interaction with the complainant and her mother, it emerged that they have consciously chosen to move on from the incident. They expressed that the complainant is currently exploring matrimonial prospects, and that the pendency of a criminal case may result as a serious impediment to her future opportunities and personal relationships,' justice Narula added.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Delhi HC quashes POCSO case at victim's request, directs accused to perform community service
The Delhi High Court has quashed a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case following the victim's request. The court asked the accused to perform community service at a government hospital for a month and deposit ₹50,000 towards the Army Battle Casualties Welfare Fund. 2019 case The accused had been booked in an FIR registered in 2019 on IPC sections pertaining to voyeurism, assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, and sexual harassment, among others, apart from the relevant sections of the POCSO Act. In her complaint, the minor girl said the accused had pressured her into sharing intimate photographs. After communication between the two ceased, the accused allegedly threatened to share her photos online and demanded ₹6,000 from her in February 2018. The victim said she 'made several payments under duress', and later, a friend of the accused also blackmailed her for money. In his May 27 order, Justice Sanjeev Narula stated that the allegations were 'undoubtedly serious', involving charges of harassment and exploitation of a minor girl, which disclosed 'a pattern emblematic of the darker undercurrents of the social media age, where technology is misused to exert control, induce fear, and compromise dignity'. Ordinarily, such allegations, he added, would not merit quashing of the FIR, but it considered the victim's 'desire to move on from this chapter'. The court then ordered the quashing of the FIR, based on the accused's undertaking that he had not retained the photographs. It directed the accused to perform a month of community service at Lok Nayak Hospital.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Delhi High Court quashes Pocso FIR, directs accused to do community service
New Delhi: Delhi High Court has quashed an FIR under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, but directed the accused to perform community service for a month at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. The man was accused of harassing and threatening a minor school-going girl. A single-judge bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula also ordered him to pay Rs 50,000 as costs, to be deposited towards Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties. "Having regard to the nature of allegations, this court finds it appropriate to direct the petitioner to undertake community service as a measure of accountability and reflection," the judge said, ordering community service from June 1 to 30, 2025. Initially, the court was not inclined to quash the FIR in a perfunctory manner. However, after a detailed and careful interaction with the complainant and her mother, the court noted that they consciously chose to move on. "They expressed that the complainant is currently exploring matrimonial prospects, and that the pendency of a criminal case may result as a serious impediment to her future opportunities and personal relationships," the bench said. "Her mother specifically submitted that ongoing criminal proceedings of this nature are likely to create social stigma and could undermine the family's efforts to secure a suitable match for the complainant," it added. The FIR was registered under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman to outrage her modesty), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting modesty of a woman), 384 (extortion) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code and Section 12 (sexual harassment) of Pocso Act . A settlement deed was entered into between the parties, according to which the complainant voluntarily resolved all her disputes with the accused and agreed to give no objection to the quashing of the FIR. It was recorded that she neither received any monetary compensation from the accused nor intended to claim any. The court noted that ordinarily, allegations of such nature, particularly those involving the sexual harassment of a minor, would not merit quashing. However, it added that the law was equally cognisant of the survivor's right to privacy, dignity and closure. Observing that the allegations pertain to a deeply troubling pattern of coercion and intimidation directed at a school-going minor, including threats to publicly disseminate her private photographs in exchange for money, the bench said that such behaviour, if true, reflected a gross misuse of digital platforms and an alarming disregard for consent and personal dignity.
