Madras High Court Acquits Youth, Calls for Awareness to Prevent POCSO Act Misuse in Adolescent Cases

The Madras High Court acquitted a young man convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in a case involving a consensual adolescent relationship. The court noted that young boys often face legal consequences due to parental pressure, which may lead to the girl marrying another person and initiating criminal proceedings against the boy. It directed the Tamil Nadu government to increase public awareness of the POCSO Act to prevent its misuse, especially in consensual cases between teenagers.