The Madras high court has highlighted the disproportionate impact of the Pocso Act on adolescent boys in consensual relationships. In a recent case, a 17-year-old boy was sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly abducting and forcing a 16-year-old girl into marriage.
However, the high court has now set aside the conviction, citing that the boy often faces the brunt of the law in such cases. According to the court, the girl may be pressured into marrying another person under parental pressure, leading to criminal proceedings against the boy.
