Recently a Bombay High Court verdict stirred the nation when additional judge Justice Pushpa V Ganediwala acquitted a 39-year-old man from a sexual assault case.
The man was accused of sexual assault for pressing the breasts of a twelve-year-old child over her clothes. On January 19 Justice Ganediwala vindicated him on the grounds that without “skin-to-skin” physical contact the incident does not equal a “sexual assault” under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
History Of Ganediwala’s Controversial Rulings
Justice Pushpa Ganediwala has been under fire for her other verdicts too.
The judge has been criticized for her another verdict in which she claimed that the act of “holding the hands of a minor” or “opening the zip of pants” by the accused is not considered sexual assault under the POCSO Act.
Ganediwala was up to become a permanent judge by the Supreme Court Collegium in January 2021.
But after the massive backlash against her judgments, the Collegium decided to withdraw its recommendation.
Her tenure to remain an additional judge was also extended by a year recently.
Also Read: Lady Judge Who Ruled No Sexual Assault Without Skin To Skin Contact Says A Single Man Can’t Rape Without Scuffle
Women Sent Condoms As “A Mark Of Protest”
A political analyst Devshri Trivedi claims that she had sent 150 condoms to Justice Pushpa V Ganediwala as a protest against her verdict in the sexual assault case.
“I cannot tolerate injustice. A minor girl did not get justice because of a judgment by Justice Ganediwala. I am demanding that she (Justice Ganediwala) be suspended,” as stated by Trivedi.
Trivedi also said “As a woman, I do not feel I have done anything wrong. I do not have any guilt. Women have to stand up for their rights. By this order of Justice Ganediwala, men can go scot-free for sexually assaulting girls over their clothes”.
Trivedi had sent condoms to twelve different locations. These locations included the registry of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Clout, the principal seat in Mumbai, and Ganediwala’s chamber.
According to the report, Devshri sent the packets on February 9 and a few of them were delivered successfully.
The registry office of the Nagpur bench however did not receive any packet of condoms, as claimed by them. Shrirang Bhandarkar, a senior advocate of the Nagpur Bar Association however responded with, “This is a clear case of contempt. We demand that action should be taken against this woman.”
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: India Today, Times Of India, India Express
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