New Delhi: A Delhi court has acquitted seven women accused of dancing in an “obscene” manner at a bar, ruling that their actions were not punishable unless they caused annoyance to others.
The case was filed after a police sub-inspector, Dharmender, reported that the women were dancing at a bar near Imperial Cinema on Rajguru Road on March 3, 2024, around 12:30 am. The women were booked under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which penalizes obscene acts in public places.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neetu Sharma of Tis Hazari Court ruled that neither wearing small clothes nor dancing to songs is a crime. She stated that punishment under Section 294 IPC applies only when such acts cause annoyance to others.
The court criticized the police for failing to involve public witnesses, despite the bar being in a busy area. The judge noted that although the police claimed to have asked bystanders to join the case, no names or details were recorded.
The judge also pointed out that the police never stated whether the dance actually annoyed anyone, which is a key requirement under the law. Additionally, there was no proof that any official order was violated.
Due to the lack of evidence, the court ruled that the case against the women did not stand and acquitted them of all charges.
