So I was booked for Indecency in Public at Carter Road, Mumbai and fined Rs. 1200/- in Feb, 2012.
I protested and contested the charges and--long story short--I have been acquitted of all charges on 01 April, 2013.
As happy as I am with the verdict, I really think, after 14 months, that this was a HUGE WASTE OF THE HON. COURT'S PRECIOUS TIME!! I mean, the Hon. Court has more pressing issues on hand than letting people know that HUGGING YOUR FRIEND IS NOT A CRIME!!
MUMBAI POLICE:
I think the matter could have avoided the Court in the first place if only the Police were willing to LISTEN to what I had to say about there being nothing wrong with what I did and think about it themselves rather than following orders blindly.
I should also mention that Indecent Behaviour in Public can't be accepted because in a society you have to consider the sensibilities of as many people as possible. All this being said, I need to repeat myself... HUGGING YOUR FRIEND AND GIVING THEM A FRIENDLY PECK ON THE CHEEK CAN'T BE SEEN AS A CRIME!! WE ARE HUMANS NOT ROBOTS, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WE EMOTE!!
See, WE ALL LOVE MUMBAI POLICE! They are the reason Mumbai is the safest City in the Country. This is an especially important point to consider when your Country's Capital--Delhi--has found a local sport in Raping Women. But the problem, I feel, is that Police need to have a little more clarity on what is Decent and what is Indecent. They told me that elderly citizens keep complaining to them even if they see a couple walking, holding hands. This Court's verdict--I had thought--will help set a precedent for the Police that HUGGING YOUR FRIEND IS NOT A CRIME and if someone complains to them regarding this they can respond by asking the complainant to take the matter with the Court, which is the higher authority.
METROPOLITAN COURT:
Unfortunately, this Court's verdict can't be set as a precedent because this Court does not hold sufficient powers. The High Court does. So, now, I am going to file a PIL in the High Court to help get a little more clarity to the Police in terms of what is Decent and what is Indecent.
Also, my experience with Court's procedure's makes me feel that the length of the case can be drastically reduced if you just ask both the parties to come on one specified date (even if a couple of months later) with all witnesses and evidences and arguments ready rather than having a separate date, each, for every witness and then a separate date for arguments, etc. But then maybe they have their reasons... I'm not a lawyer, this is not my expertise.
