POCSO Case – Supreme Court Uses Constitutional Powers to Acquit Man After Marriage
POCSO Case – The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction of a man previously sentenced under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. The decision came after the court considered developments that occurred years after the original case, including the marriage of the accused and the woman involved after both attained adulthood.
Supreme Court Invokes Extraordinary Constitutional Authority
A bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar exercised the court’s extraordinary jurisdiction to cancel the conviction and sentence imposed on the appellant, Maruthupandi. The judges clarified that the decision was made without examining the merits of the original allegations and was based solely on the exceptional circumstances surrounding the case.
The court noted that its order should not be treated as a legal precedent for future cases. According to the bench, the ruling was tailored specifically to the unique facts presented before it.
Relationship Began During Teenage Years
Court records indicate that the man and the woman developed a relationship around 2015. Their association later deteriorated, leading the woman to file a complaint after alleging that he had refused to marry her.
Subsequently, criminal proceedings were initiated under the POCSO Act, and the man was convicted. In 2019, he received a prison sentence of ten years after being found guilty of offences related to a physical relationship with a minor.
Events Took a Different Turn After Conviction
Following the conviction, the woman married another individual. However, that marriage reportedly ended within days after her husband learned about her previous relationship with the convicted man.
While serving his sentence, Maruthupandi was granted bail. During this period, the two re-established contact and worked toward resolving their differences. Their relationship eventually led to marriage after both had reached the legal age required for such a union.
The couple then began living together as husband and wife.
Woman Approached Courts Seeking Relief
The woman later approached the Madras High Court, stating that she wanted to reveal what she described as the “untold truth” behind the case. She informed the court that she and the accused had reconciled, married, and settled their disputes.
She requested that her husband’s conviction be overturned so they could continue their lives without legal uncertainty. However, the High Court declined to grant the relief sought.
Following that decision, the couple moved the Supreme Court seeking intervention.
Supreme Court Examined Present Circumstances
Before passing its final order, the Supreme Court directed a Judicial Magistrate to record the woman’s statement regarding the status of their marriage and relationship. The apex court also asked both individuals to appear before it personally.
During the proceedings, the woman sought financial security and requested ₹10 lakh from her husband. The amount was subsequently paid to her. Taking note of the settlement, their marital status, and other relevant developments, the court proceeded to quash the conviction.
Court Emphasises Limited Scope of Ruling
In its observations, the Supreme Court noted that the couple had solemnised their marriage after becoming adults. The bench also recorded that the woman had received compensation in connection with the matter.
Allowing the appeals, the court stated that both individuals should be free to continue their lives peacefully as spouses. At the same time, the judges stressed that the ruling was based entirely on the unusual facts of the case and should not be cited as a standard legal principle in other matters.