Mumbai, Sep 22 A court here on Tuesday sentenced a 63-year-old man to six months' rigorous imprisonment for sexually harassing a woman traffic police constable in 2018.
The safety of public servants is vital for proper functioning of government institutions, Additional Sessions Judge S K Upadhyay said.
The court convicted the accused, Saroj, under Indian Penal Code sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 354-A(IV) (making sexually coloured remarks), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
The court imposed a six-month jail term and a fine of Rs 500 for each of the three offences.
"The safety and security of public servants are essential for proper functioning of government institutions," the court said.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred at around 8:30 PM on September 21, 2018, at Maitri Park Junction in Chembur.
The complainant was regulating heavy traffic when the accused approached her, made explicit sexually coloured remarks, and rushed at her.
When the constable called the police control room for assistance, the accused hurled abuse at her and fled the spot.
The complainant, assisted by a head constable from the Govandi police station who arrived at the scene, chased him in an auto-rickshaw and apprehended him.
During the trial, the prosecution examined five witnesses including an independent eyewitness who operated a food cart near the junction.
The defence sought a minimum punishment for the accused, arguing that he was a senior citizen and the sole breadwinner of his family.
Rejecting the plea for leniency, the court noted that the accused had committed an offence against a public servant providing essential services.
