‘No sexual intent’: HC quashes harassment case over man’s public urination
The Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal harassment case against a man who was accused of outraging a woman's modesty while urinating in public. The court ruled that the act lacked sexual intent and was a result of the man's inability to find a public restroom.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies the legal threshold for 'outraging modesty' under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, emphasizing the necessity of proving intent in public nuisance cases.
NEW DELHI: The Karnataka high court has quashed a criminal case against a man accused under Section 75(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), holding that accidentally coming in front of a woman while answering nature’s call, without any sexual intent, would not amount to outraging her modesty. The court said the allegations did not meet the requirements of the offence, as per a LiveLaw report.Why was the case filed against the man?The man had got off a bus and was looking for a public toilet. As he could not find one, he went towards a railway track to answer nature’s call.While he was urinating, the complainant happened to walk into the area. The man noticed her and she saw his private parts. She later filed a complaint against him under Section 75(2) of the BNS.The man approached the high court seeking to quash the proceedings.
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