"Skin-To-Skin Contact" Only 2nd Time Attorney General Challenged High Court
NDTV
In 1985 then Attorney General K Parasaran challenged a Rajasthan High Court verdict that ordered the public hanging of an accused; the order was overturned by the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside a controversial judgment of the Bombay High Court that said "groping a minor's breast without 'skin-to-skin contact' can't be termed as sexual assault under POCSO".
While it is a landmark order - the top court called it a "narrow interpretation of the law" and said that if physical contact had been made with sexual intent it comes under the law - what was noteworthy is the High Court's decision had been challenged by KK Venugopal, the Attorney General of India.
This is only the second time an Attorney General has challenged the decision of a High Court.
Earlier, after pronouncing the judgment, Justice UU Lalit said: "This is perhaps the first time the learned Attorney General has challenged a judgement on the criminal side… a first and it is remarkable."
