India, March 8 -- The Delhi high court has said that the act of touching, pressing lips, or lying down next to a minor girl in the absence of sexual intent will not amount to aggravated sexual assault under the Protection of children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. However, such acts will amount to outraging a woman's modesty since the same violates their dignity, the court stated.

"The act of touching and pressing lips or lying down next to the victim, though may result in violation of a woman's dignity and lead to outraging of her modesty, but absent any overt or inferred sexual intent, the said acts would fall short of meeting the legal threshold required to sustain a charge under section 10 of Pocso Act," a bench of justice Swarana...