Saying “Aaja Aaja” To Minor Girl is Sexual Harassment: Mumbai Court Convicts Man For Stalking

A Sessions Court at Mumbai Dindoshi has sentenced a man for stalking a minor girl aged 15 years after 8 years since the incident took place.

The case was registered against the convict after the victim's mother filed a complaint. In the complaint, it was stated that in September 2015 when the victim was going to her tuition on her bicycle, the convict called her by saying “Aaja Aaja”. After the girl shouted for help the convict ran away from there.

The convict did the same thing the next day and kept a watch on the victim at her building. After the girl informed her parents about the incident after identifying the accused a case was registered against him. The said convict was booked under Section 354D of IPC and Section 12 of the POCSO Act.

The convict had pleaded not guilty and had denied all the allegations against him.

Judge AZ Khan said that the defense had failed to bring any fact or record to show that as to why these witnesses are deposing against the accused but the versions of these witnesses are cogent, convincing, and consistent

The court also refused to take a lenient view while noting that

“The accused is aged about 32 years & he has a wife and three years old daughter but the same can not be the mitigating circumstances as the offences committed by the accused is neither under duress nor on the provocation on the part of the minor victim girl but the accused committed such offences with the minor victim girl by which the accused is not entitled for the lenient view”

Therefore, after taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case the court convicted the man and observed

“Taking into consideration the facts & circumstances of the case, as discussed above, including the evidence on record, I am going to impose the following sentences to the accused as provided u/s 354-D of the Indian Penal Code along with 12 of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 which would certainly meet out the ends of justice from both the sides.”

The convict was in jail for a year till 2016 before he was granted bail therefore the sentence awarded to him was set off by the sentence awarded by the court.

Case Title: State of Maharashtra vs Walmick Ramdin Pal

Statue: Indian Penal Code 1860 and POCSO Act 2013