Mumbai: In one of the speediest trials, the metropolitan magistrate court at Girgaum on Tuesday convicted a 32-year-old pavement-dweller for insulting the modesty of a woman and sentenced him to six months simple imprisonment, barely five days after his arrest.
The incident took place on June 17, when the woman, a 23-year-old hotelier, had taken her dog out for a walk along Kennedy Bridge. The man who was nearby, made lewd gestures looking at her, and as she tried to avoid him, he came in front of her and allegedly started masturbating.
The woman then approached the Gamdevi police station, and based on her complaint, police registered a case under section 509 of IPC (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) against the unknown man.
Police then checked the recordings of over 500 CCTV cameras to nail the accused. Once his image was located, they visited several pan stalls, hotels, vegetable vendors and even construction sites to ascertain his identity. He was finally arrested on October 6 — around three-and-half months after the incident, from Nana Chowk, said Dattaram Girap, senior police inspector of Gamdevi police station.
The police filed a chargesheet against the convict, Ramlakhan Harijan, the next day. Applauding the efforts of Gamdev police, metropolitan magistrate N A Patel, took up the matter for hearing expeditiously.
In the two-day trial, the court recorded testimonies of the complainant, the investigation officer of the case and panch witnesses. Based on their evidence, the CCTV camera footage and other documents, the court on Tuesday declared Harijan guilty of insulting the modesty of the 23-year-old and sentenced him to six months simple imprisonment. The court also imposed fine of ₹500 on him. Harijan does odd jobs, and was working with a painter at the time.