Supreme Court Quashes POCSO Conviction

The India — Supreme Court of India, invoking its extraordinary authority under Article 142 of the Constitution, quashed the conviction of a man sentenced under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The man was initially sentenced to 10 years for having physical relations with a minor. The victim later married another man who left her, and subsequently reconciled and married the accused after he was out on bail. The couple moved the India — Madras High Court to set aside the conviction, but their plea was rejected. They then appealed to the India — Supreme Court of India, where Justices Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari and A. S. Chandurkar ruled to set aside the conviction, noting the victim's marriage to the accused and her affidavit in his favor. The court clarified that this order is based on the peculiar facts of the case and should not be treated as a precedent.