Telling unknown women you are slim or smart at night amounts to obscenity: Court

Late-night WhatsApp flirting just landed a man in serious trouble. A sessions court in Mumbai's Dindoshi area has ruled that sending messages like “you are slim, look very smart and fair, I like you” to a woman you don’t know—especially at odd hours—crosses the line into obscenity.

Judge DG Dhoble upheld the conviction of a man who bombarded a former corporator with unsolicited compliments and questionable late-night texts. The court emphasized that obscenity isn’t just about intent—it’s about how an “average person applying contemporary community standards” would perceive it.

The accused, seemingly oblivious to boundaries, sent messages and pictures between 11 pm and 12:30 am, with lines like “you are slim,” “you are looking very smart,” “are you married?” and the classic “I like you.” The court wasn’t impressed, noting that no married woman—let alone a former corporator—would tolerate such advances from a stranger.

Making matters worse, the man couldn’t prove any prior relationship with the complainant. The judge ruled that his actions amounted to an insult to the woman’s modesty.

This wasn’t his first legal setback either. A magistrate court had already convicted him in 2022, sentencing him to three months in jail. Hoping for a reprieve, he appealed, claiming he was framed over political rivalry. But the sessions court wasn’t buying it, pointing out that he had no evidence to support the claim.

The verdict? The prosecution proved its case, and the court upheld the original conviction. Lesson learned—think twice before sending unsolicited compliments, especially at midnight!