Delhi High Court sexual offense rulings

The Delhi High Court has issued significant rulings regarding sexual offenses, focusing on the protection of victims and the rejection of improper defense tactics.

In one case, the court overturned a prior acquittal to convict a man for the sexual harassment of a neighbor. The ruling emphasized personal autonomy, stating that a woman’s choice of clothing cannot be used to justify or excuse unlawful conduct. The court criticized attempts to link attire to criminal behavior, describing such mindsets as “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” and condemned cross-examinations intended to humiliate the complainant.

In a separate matter involving a 2008 case, the High Court overturned the acquittal of a man accused of raping a four-and-a-half-year-old victim. The court ruled that a child witness’s testimony should be assessed based on its substance rather than the use of technical or medical terminology. The bench held that the prosecution proved penetrative sexual assault beyond reasonable doubt, setting aside a lower court decision that had only convicted the accused of assault.