State of Maharashtra vs Ganesh Namdeo Bhalerao Advocate - Sawant S.B. — 684/2025

Case Summary In this case, the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Gangapur acquitted both accused—Ganesh Namdev Bhalerao and Manoj Santosh Patil—charged under IPC Section 354 (read with 34) and POCSO Act Sections 8 and 12 for allegedly outraging the modesty of a girl on 14.01.2017. The court found that the prosecution failed to conclusively prove the victim was a "child" as defined under POCSO (below 18 years), relying only on school records without producing the original birth certificate or medical evidence; additionally, the victim herself retracted her evidence during cross-examination, admitting she had good relations with the accused and lodged the FIR due to her mother's misunderstanding. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.