More than six years after he was accused of sexually harassing a minor, a 76-year-old man was acquitted by a special court in Mumbai last month, after it observed that the First Information Report (FIR) could be “motivated by personal animosity rather than a genuine grievance”.

The FIR in the case was lodged on August 10, 2019, based on a complaint by a 10-year-old girl’s mother, who said that the accused had forcefully kissed the minor. Later, the man was booked under sections 354 and 354(A) of the Indian Penal Code on charges related to sexual harassment, and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

During the trial, three witnesses were examined. The minor’s mother had deposed that around 9.45 am, her daughter was going to deliver a tiffi

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