Delhi High Court Upholds POCSO Conviction

The India — Delhi High Court, in a judgment passed by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna on January 5, dismissed an appeal and upheld the conviction of a man under Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The court ruled that making a small child touch one's private parts with sexual intent constitutes aggravated sexual assault. The appellant, a tenant, was convicted in July 2024 and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for an incident that occurred in June 2022 involving a four-year-old girl. The court rejected claims of tutoring and lack of evidence, noting the consistency in the survivor's testimonies and the role of counselling by the India — National Medical Commission. It also addressed the delay in FIR registration, deeming it natural under the circumstances. However, the court set aside the conviction and sentence for certain offenses under the Indian Penal Code due to the absence of framed charges.