Females can distinguish touch: Court while convicting tailor in POCSO case

“Females have the ability to distinguish the nature of touch,” a special court designated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has said, while sentencing a ladies tailor to three-years-jail for molesting a 12-year-old at his shop.

The incident had taken place when he was taking measurements. Special Judge under the POCSO Act Priti Kumar (Ghule) said in her judgment early this month, “It is very normal for a tailor to take measurements of ladies for stitching clothes. But the female has the ability to distinguish the nature of touch, whether it is with sexual intent or by mistake.” In the present matter, the court said, it is the pressing of the breast and touching of the buttock and it is a touch with sexual intent only.

It imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 on the man Durlabh alias Dilip Jethwa and directed that the fine be given as compensation to the victim. Jethwa had taken the defence that he had been falsely implicated as the owner of his rented shop premises wanted him to leave and the victim’s mother and others had joined him in falsely implicating himself.