– Zaina Aman
Indore: An Indore court has acquitted Tasleem Ali, a bangle seller from Uttar Pradesh, of all charges, including under the POCSO Act, after a three-year legal battle. Ali was attacked by a Hindutva mob in August 2021 for selling bangles in a “Hindu locality” and later accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl.
The incident gained nationwide attention after a viral video showed Ali being brutally beaten. While Ali filed a complaint against his attackers, he was arrested the next day and booked under multiple IPC sections, including molestation. He spent 115 days in jail, while the accused attackers were granted bail within a month.
The court’s verdict ends years of social, economic, and mental harassment endured by Ali and his family. His case, fuelled by communal tensions, highlights issues of injustice and misuse of legal processes against marginalised individuals.
Expressing gratitude to his lawyers after the judgment, Ali said, “Everyone should be treated with kindness.” The case has reignited discussions on communal bias and the systemic challenges faced by vulnerable communities in India.
