Kerala High Court– Taking a stern stand against the cases of sexual harassment of minors by their close relatives, the bench of B.K. Pasha, J stated that a matter relating to sexual harassment especially by relatives towards minor girls cannot be permitted to be compounded and if done so, would send a wrong signal to the society.
In the present case, the petitioner is the accused against whom allegations were made that he repeatedly made specific sexual overtures and sexually harassed his 13 year old niece. The incident occurred when the mother of the daughter sent her to the company of the girl’s maternal uncle and grandmother..The victim repeatedly reported this to her mother but was pacified and intimidated to not to reveal it to anyone. Ultimately, the matter came into light when she revealed it to her father. Thereafter, the accused was charged under Sections 354 and 509 IPC.
Dismissing the case the Court observed that these minor victims deserve justice and not a mere compromise The cases where a cruel act is done towards a minor girl and that too by her own relatives, and if proceedings of such cases are quashed so that to permit the so called compromise or settlement then it would give a wrong signal to the society. Radhakrishnan v. State of Kerala, 2014 SCC OnLine Ker 18264, decided on 1.12.2014
