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POCSO Cases Can't Be Settled by Survivor or Family, Rules Delhi High Court
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News18•24-09-2026, 18:45
POCSO Cases Can't Be Settled by Survivor or Family, Rules Delhi High Court
- •The Delhi High Court ruled that criminal cases involving sexual offenses against children cannot be settled by the survivor or their family.
- •Justice Sachin Datta dismissed a petition by an accused seeking to quash a POCSO case based on a settlement with the minor survivor.
- •The court emphasized that these are heinous offenses with a serious societal impact, and a settlement would defeat the statute's object.
- •The accused, 49, faced charges of aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a child in 2022, being in a position of trust.
- •The court reiterated that High Courts cannot quash serious sexual offense cases based on settlement, as per Supreme Court rulings.
Key Questions Answered
No, the Delhi High Court has ruled that criminal cases concerning sexual offences against children under the POCSO Act cannot be settled by the survivor or her family, as they are heinous offences with a serious impact on society.
Justice Sachin Datta dismissed a petition filed by a 49-year-old accused seeking to quash a POCSO case following a compromise with the minor survivor, stating that quashing proceedings at that stage would defeat the object of the statute and the ends of justice.
The petitioner allegedly committed aggravated penetrative sexual assault upon a child in 2022 while in a position of trust, facing charges under sections 376 and 506 of the IPC and section 6 of the POCSO Act.
