Rupan Deol Bajaj v. K.P.S. Gill
Supreme Court of India1995 INSC 616; MANU/SC/0080/1996; (1995) 6 SCC 194Bench: J. J.S. Verma, J. G.N. Ray
The Supreme Court held that "modesty" is a quality attached to a female by her sex. Any act done by a man towards a woman with the knowledge that it is likely to outrage her modesty is sufficient to constitute the offence under Section 354 IPC — an explicit sexual intent is not necessary. The test is whether a reasonable man would consider the act as likely to outrage the modesty of a woman. The slap on the posterior in a public gathering was held to outrage modesty. The Court defined modesty comprehensively — it is the female's sense of propriety about her body which society has recognised as deserving protection.