Gangtok, July 13 -- In a rare and deeply human gesture, the Sikkim High Court opened a judgment in a sensitive POCSO case by quoting the Demi Lovato and Marshmello song "It's Okay Not to Be Okay", before upholding the conviction of a man found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor schoolgirl who later died by suicide.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan delivered the judgment on Monday in the case of Chewang Sherpa versus State of Sikkim. The Court upheld the appellant's convictions for sexual assault under the POCSO Act, wrongful restraint and abetment of suicide, while partly allowing the appeal on a technical point of sentencing.

The case arose from the conviction of the appellant by ...