Navi Mumbai: A Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Alibaug has sentenced molestation accused to simple imprisonment of seven days along with a fine of Rs1,000.
The accused, Haresh Mahadev Patil, 42, was arrested by the Raigad police within 24 hours of the crime and also convicted in the next 24 hours on the basis of a swift chargesheet. Patil accepted his crime and pleaded for minimal punishment.
As per the court orders, the prosecution demanded maximum punishment, citing the crime was against a woman. Meanwhile, the defence pleaded for a minimal punishment as it was his first crime.
About The Case
On March 11, a woman visiting Kanakeshwar Temple was stopped repeatedly and molested by Patil, who demanded her phone number and made lewd gestures, saying “Oh, my sweet darling”. Based on her complaint, the Mandwa Coastal police registered a case.
“We immediately arrested the accused and a chargesheet too was filed along with presenting the accused before the court, within 24 hours,” assistant police inspector Dipak Bhoi said.
JMFC Alibaug verified the incident and asked the accused if he accepted his guilt. After the chargesheet was filed, the charges were read and explained to the accused, including the potential consequences of pleading guilty, such as the impact on government job opportunities. The accused confessed to the crime, said the court order.
On March 13, JMFC Isha Ghadge convicted and sentenced the accused for seven days and a fine of Rs1,000. The convict Patil, works as a labourer and resides at Narangi village in Alibaug taluka. He was found guilty under Sections 78(2) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian Penal Code).
