Fri Feb 21 07:28:36 UTC 2025: ## Mumbai Court Upholds Conviction for Obscene WhatsApp Messages
**Mumbai, February 21, 2025** – A Mumbai sessions court has upheld the conviction of a man for sending obscene messages to a former corporator via WhatsApp. The court ruled that late-night messages complimenting the woman’s appearance and inquiring about her marital status constituted an insult to her modesty.
The Additional Sessions Judge D.G. Dhoble stated that the messages, sent between 11 pm and 12:30 am, were obscene based on “contemporary community standards.” The messages included phrases like “you are slim,” “you are looking very smart,” and “I like you,” along with unspecified pictures. The court emphasized the lack of any prior relationship between the sender and recipient, a key factor in determining the offensive nature of the communication.
The accused, who had initially received a three-month prison sentence from a magistrate court in 2022, argued that the charges stemmed from political rivalry. However, the sessions court dismissed this claim, citing a lack of evidence and stating that no woman would falsely accuse someone to compromise her dignity.
The sessions court affirmed the magistrate’s conviction and sentence, concluding that the prosecution successfully proved the accused sent obscene messages and images. The ruling reinforces the legal precedent surrounding online harassment and the protection of women’s dignity in digital spaces.
First Piper 