Delhi HC quashes sexual harassment case against man as he suffers from psychotic disorder
New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has quashed a case of sexual harassment and stalking against a man after taking into account his mental condition.
The court made this decision based on a report prepared by a medical board of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and after interacting with the victim’s father, who did not object to quashing the case.
The accused was charged by Delhi Police under Section 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in November 2021, following a complaint by a student of Class VI.
The minor victim alleged that the accused had inappropriately touched her and followed her.
The defence argued for the FIR to be quashed on the grounds that the accused suffered from Bipolar Disorder and, on the date of the incident, he did not have control over his actions.
A medical board at AIIMS reported that the accused was suffering from psychosis NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) with Borderline Intellectual ability and required regular medical care and supervision.
Earlier, the court had granted interim bail to the accused and directed AIIMS doctors to examine him.
Considering the medical report and the victim’s father’s no objection, the court decided to quash the FIR and the proceedings related to it.