The Bombay High Court has set aside a first information report (FIR) against five youths, accused of outraging the modesty of two girls, on the condition that they would do social work for two days and donate Rs 50,000 for legal aid service.
The order was passed by a division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and AA Sayed on a petition filed by the accused earlier this week.
“Considering that the petitioners are in the age group of 19-22 and the remorse shown by them, we are inclined to quash the FIR. Looking into the peculiar facts of the case, it cannot be said that the offence alleged is against the society at large,” the bench said while quashing the FIR.
A case had been registered against the five youths under IPC sections 354 (outraging the modesty of woman), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 507 (criminal intimidation) and 149 (rioting).
The mother of the complainant girl filed an affidavit in the High Court submitting that the two sides had reached a compromise and wanted to settle the matter.
She said she did not want her daughter to do the rounds of the police station and courts and therefore, was agreeable to the quashing of the FIR against the accused who had shown remorse.
The complainant, a 17-year-old girl, was accompanied by her friend when the alleged incident took place at Badlapur in neighbouring Thane district on September 25. .
