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Synopsis

A Mumbai court has sentenced a 45-year-old man to a day’s imprisonment for repeatedly touching the buttocks of a woman.

Metropolitan Magistrate BK Gawande convicted the man under Section 354A (Sexual Harassment) and directed him to be imprisoned for a day, imposing a fine of Rs. 1000 on him.

In 2019, the victim and her brother were travelling from Borivali to Elphiston Road in Churchgate fast local. The victim was standing near the door when the Bandra station came.

The accused was standing beside the victim near the gate after which he touched her buttocks. The victim asked the accused, "What is going on?" The accused responded, "It was wrong, sorry." 

However, after some time, the accused again touched the buttocks of the victim, after which she picked up the quarrel with him. 

The brother of the victim, who was seated on the train, noticed his sister quarrelling with the man. He then took the accused to the Bandra Railway Police, after which an FIR was registered.

The magistrate, in its order, noted that the accused committed the said act with the intention and knowledge to outrage the modesty of the victim. 

“..prosecution has proved that, the accused on relevant date, time and place touched the buttocks of the informant. The evidence of the informant clearly established that, the accused did the said act with an intention and knowledge that by doing such act modesty of the informant would certainly be outraged,” the order reads.

The court also noted that the accused was found outraging the modesty of the victim and could have worse intentions. 

“So far as, the case in hand is concerned, it is clear from the evidence on record that, the accused was found while outraging the modesty of the informant, which goes to show that, the accused could have had worse intention,” the order states.

Case title: State of Maharashtra vs  Raju Dattaram Chavan