The Orissa High Court acquitted a man tried as an adult for offences allegedly committed at 17, holding that the Children’s Court must independently decide under Section 19(1) of the JJ Act whether a child needs to be tried as an adult.
The Orissa High Court ruled that being present at a brothel does not automatically make one guilty of trafficking or sexual exploitation. Justice Mishra stressed the need for concrete evidence before implicating individuals under IPC Sections 370 (3) and 370 A (2). The judgment sets a precedent for fair legal proceedings in such cases.
