Fake Molestation Cases: When Women Become Impediment In Justice

Fake molestation cases filed by jilted or bitter women, against innocent men is not unheard of. Many men have pointed out that Section 498 A, and other gender protection laws have been misused by women. Be it out of jealousy or anger, a broken heart, or to threaten a man to serve an ulterior motive, such women stoop to misusing laws meant to protect them. As important it is to criticise sexual misconduct by men, we must condemn the actions of these women. The courts should also go ahead and punish them severely, because their actions impede not only the legal system of this country, but make the society question legitimacy of allegations of all survivors of sexual crimes.

SOME TAKEAWAYS

• The Bombay high court recently imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on a woman entrepreneur for misusing gender protection laws.
• The woman had allegedly threatened a man with filing false molestation charges against him.
• Such false cases by women undermine all the effort that we put in to curb sexual crimes against women.
• All it takes is a handful of such cases for people to write off the entire womenkind’s credibility.

As important it is to criticise sexual misconduct by men, we must condemn the actions of these women.

According to a report in The Times Of India, the Bombay high court recently imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on a woman entrepreneur for misusing gender protection laws. The woman, along with her husband, was involved in a trademark infringement fight with Mumbai-based Sapat and Company and had allegedly threatened to file false molestation charges against the court receiver. “Time and again, it is noted with distress, that a socially enabling piece of legislation, is being grossly misused with impunity, by the very gender for whose empowerment it has been enacted, leaving the male/s facing grossly wrong and derogatory charges, which they have to thereafter defend themselves against. Such gross and patent misuse of a socially enabling piece of legislation has to be sternly condemned by the Courts and dealt with a very stern hand,” noted Justice S Kathawalla.

Such false cases by women undermine all the effort that we put in to get our society to stand by sexual crime survivors. Our argument that we should “believe all survivors” loses all conviction. All it takes is a handful of such cases for people to write off the entire womenkind’s credibility. This is because our patriarchal society is very eager to protect male privileges, that it would rather side with one misstep, than address repeated and systemic abuse of women at the hands of men.

No man deserves to be wrongfully implicated in crimes as defacing as that of a sexual nature.

Further, it gives predators the freedom to keep exploiting women, because they know that the society will readily doubt the credibility of a survivor's account, due to cases of false cases setting precedent. It seems ironic that women themselves turn out to be one of the biggest impediments in their own empowerment. Besides, no man deserves to be wrongfully implicated in sexual crimes. They lose their social standing and suffer professional and personal consequences if such allegations against them come to light. It is absolutely unfair for such a thing to happen to an innocent man.

The backlog of pending cases in Indian courts is around 3.3 crore cases. Every second spent on a falsely framed case, wastes our courts’ valuable time.

But that’s not the only thing. The backlog of pending cases in Indian courts is around 3.3 crore cases. Every second spent on a falsely framed case, wastes our courts’ valuable time. It keeps deserving people from getting justice. Essential verdicts get stalled because someone would rather use laws to settle personal scores. In times when the courts are trying to make the justice system swifter, such cases hamper all their efforts. Hence, the court is right in saying that women who misuse gender protection laws should suffer harsh consequences. Justice system doesn't favour any gender over another gender. Therefore, women who dare to exploit it must pay for their misdemeanour heavily.

Picture Credit: Indian Express

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Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section.  The views expressed are the author’s own.