CHENNAI: A man and a woman found inside a locked house cannot be presumed to be in an immoral relationship, Madras high court has said.
"This kind of presumption prevailing in the society cannot be the basis for initiating disciplinary action and inflicting punishment," said Justice R Suresh Kumar.
He made the observation while quashing the termination of service of an armed reserve police constable on the ground of 'moral turpitude', because he was found inside a locked house along with a woman constable.
Constable K Saravana Babu was found inside his quarters with the company of a woman constable in 1998.
On October 10, 1998, a woman constable entered the residential quarters of Babu and the door was found locked from inside when their neighbours knocked. According to Saravanan, the woman constable had come to his home asking for the keys of her house located close by.
While they were talking, someone locked the door from outside and then pretended to knock on the door, he added. "There was absolutely no eyewitness or any other concrete evidence to prove that the two constables were found in a compromising position", the court added.