"bombay-hc"

The court upheld the conviction and 10 years' imprisonment awarded to Santosh Atkar (35), a resident of Pandharpur in Solapur district, by a local court in 2016.

The verdict said that groping a minor's breast without "skin to skin contact" cannot be termed as sexual assault as defined under the POCSO Act.

The Bombay High Court had on Monday refused to grant interim relief to Arnab Goswami and two others in connection with the case and directed him to approach a lower court to seek bail.

The HC noted that the petitioner (Goswami) has the remedy under law to approach the sessions court concerned and seek regular bail.

Goswami and the other accused - Feroze Shaikh and Nitish Sarda - had challenged their "illegal arrest" and sought to be released on interim bail.