Mumbai Court Sentences Man to 1.5 Years for Calling Minor Girl “Item”
A Mumbai court has sentenced a 25-year-old businessman to 1.5 years in jail for sexually harassing a minor girl by calling her an “item.” The court ruled that using such terms objectifies women and amounts to outraging their modesty under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Special Judge SJ Ansari of the Sessions Court in Mumbai emphasized that derogatory terms which sexualize women are grounds for the offense of outraging a woman’s modesty. The man was convicted under Section 354 IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The incident took place in 2015 when the accused, who lived in the same neighborhood as the minor, harassed her while she was returning from school. He pulled her hair and asked, “Where are you off to?” When she asked him to stop, he verbally abused her and claimed she couldn’t harm him.
The girl immediately called the police, but the accused fled the scene. She and her father then went to the local police station and filed a complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR and recording of their statements.
In court, the accused claimed that he and the girl had been friends and that the complaint was due to her parents’ disapproval of their friendship. However, the court found the evidence against him credible and trustworthy, with no indication of false testimony from the girl.
“There is no material brought on record by the accused to show that there was any reason for the girl to depose falsely against him,” the court stated. The prosecution successfully proved that the accused repeatedly followed the girl with the intent of harassing her.
The court also noted that although there was no record of other crimes against the accused, the proven act of outraging the minor’s modesty warranted a severe response. Consequently, the court denied any leniency or probation for the accused.
Case Title: State v. Abrar Noor Mohd Khan
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