India, Jan. 14 -- A 72-year-old man charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, for allegedly flashing a teenager, was acquitted by a special POCSO court in Thane on Tuesday observing that it seemed unlikely that a senior citizen would commit such an act in public view.

Acquitting Anil Gulgule of the offences under POCSO and section 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage the modesty of the woman) of the Indian Penal Code, the court observed that the alleged incident took place in 2016 on a road with sufficient visibility and the presence of many other people.

The court said: "It would be rather difficult to conclude that an elderly person, aged approximately 72, would commit such an act when there was a...