The top body for child rights, NCPCR, on Monday requested the Maharashtra government to appeal against an order by the Bombay High Court where the judge said groping a minor without “skin to skin contact” was not sexual assault.
“The Commission requests you to take necessary steps in the matter and file an urgent appeal against the aforesaid impugned judgment of the honourable High Court,” Chairman of NCPCR Priyank Kanoongo wrote to Chief Secretary of Maharastra, Sanjay Kumar.
Justice Pushpa Ganediwala of the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, in a judgment passed on January 19, held that there must be “skin to skin contact with sexual intent” for an act to be considered sexual assault.
The verdict set aside the ruling of a lower court order against convict Satish Bandu Ragde, which had found him guilty of sexual assault of a 12 year old under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
