Bombay High Court: Throwing love letter at a married woman is a crime

It is a crime to throw a letter , a love letter, a poem or a shayari with the message 'I love you' on a married woman. Doing so will lead to a case of molestation , the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has ruled. The court has given its verdict in a case related to a 2011 incident in Akola district of the state. A 54-year-old was accused of indecent behavior with a 45-year-old woman and threatening her.

An offense under Section 354 is filed against the accused in a molestation case. It carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a fine if convicted. There was a case of harassment in Akola district in 2011. A 45-year-old woman had accused a man of molesting and threatening her. The victim is married and has a son. The accused had written a love letter to the victim. The woman concerned had refused to accept it. After the married woman refused, the accused threw the letter at the woman and said 'I love you'. Not only that, he also threatened not to tell anyone else about it. During the hearing, the court clarified that throwing a letter or a letter expressing love to a married woman is also a case of molestation and indecency.

Akola police had registered a case against the accused. After that, the first class magistrate court had sentenced the accused to 2 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. The accused had rushed to the High Court. The High Court has also convicted the accused in the case. "A woman's reputation is her greatest jewel. There is no definite definition of how to determine if a woman has been humiliated or damaged. It depends on the situation. Throwing a love letter or shayari on a married woman and threatening her is also harassment, "the court said.