PRAYAGRAJ, May 8 -- The Allahabad high court observed that the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which was enacted to protect minors from sexual exploitation, has now become a tool for their exploitation.

Stressing that the Act was never meant to criminalise consensual romantic relationships between adolescents, the bench of Justice Krishan Pahal said that the fact of a consensual relationship borne out of love should be considered while granting bail.

Justice Pahal added that it would amount to perversity of justice if the statement of the victim was ignored and the accused was left to suffer in jail.

The bench made these observations while granting bail to an 18-year-old boy, who was booked under sections 137(2...