New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has recently directed that a man accused of forcibly kissing a woman and outraging her modesty do one month's community service to "atone for his sins".
Significantly, Justice Subramonium Prasad of the Delhi High Court was hearing a petition to quash the FIR registered against the man (under Sections 354, 506 and 342 of IPC), filed because the two parties had purportedly amicably settled the matter.
"Looking at the facts of the case and the conduct of the petitioner, this Court is inclined to direct the petitioner to do some community service to atone for his sins. He is also warned not to repeat such actions in the future," the court said in its order, also imposing a cost of Rs 35,000 on the petitioner — to be deposited with the 'Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund'.
According to the FIR in the case, the complainant had said that the accused had barged into the washroom and groped her. She added that he proceeded to forcibly kiss her, noting that the accused was the landlord and so she did not make any noise out of fear and left from there.
The complainant had gone on to say that the accused had on another occasion outraged her modesty.
However, hearing the plea for quashing the FIR, the high court also took on record the affidavit filed by the complainant, in which she said they had decided to amicably settle all disputes between them. Thus, the court went on to quash the case before asking the accused to serve the community.
In the order, the high court has directed the accused to do one month of community service at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital here in the Capital every weekend - starting from February 1.
The high court added, "After completion of one month, a certificate from the Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, be also filed to show compliance of the order. In case of any absenteeism/default or any misbehaviour on the part of the petitioner, the same shall be conveyed immediately by the Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, to the concerned SHO, who shall in turn inform the learned ASC for the State, for bringing the same to the notice of the Court and for seeking recall of the orders passed today."