E-Paper
Tarn Taran man jailed for molesting fellow auto passenger in Chandigarh
The accused, Jagbir Singh of Banian village in Khadur Sahib, Tarn Taran, was convicted under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code
A man who molested a fellow female passenger in an auto-rickshaw after she turned down his friendship proposal has been sentenced to two-year rigorous imprisonment by a local court.
The accused, Jagbir Singh of Banian village in Khadur Sahib, Tarn Taran, was convicted under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1,000 on him.
According to prosecution, the incident took place on January 16, 2021.
The woman had left her office around 3 pm and boarded an auto-rickshaw from Tribune Chowk. Jagbir also got into the vehicle after a while. On the way, he suddenly proposed her for friendship, but she refused. Later, as the auto reached bear the Sector 28 light point, he touched her inappropriately. When the woman raised the alarm, he jumped out of the auto to flee. But he was caught by the woman and some onlookers near Centra Mall.
The prosecution examined three witnesses during the trial. While the prosecution argued that the offences against the accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt, the defence argued that there was no independent witness and prayed for acquittal.
Convicting the accused, the court observed, “Though the investigating agency was required to join an independent witness out of the public that caught hold of the accused and was required to obtain CCTV footage, the said lapse on the part of the prosecution/Investigating agency cannot be used to cause harm to the complainant, that too when she has duly established her version and duly supported the prosecution case during her cross examination.”
