33-year-old held for molesting doctor at Covid care centre

A 33-year-old Juhu resident was arrested by Amboli police for allegedly molesting an on-duty female doctor at a Covid care centre in Andheri. According to police

A 33-year-old Juhu resident was arrested by Amboli police for allegedly molesting an on-duty female doctor at a Covid care centre in Andheri. According to police officers, the incident took place on June 15 when the accused was admitted to the Covid care centre at Laxmi Business Park in Andheri.

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The 29-year-old doctor, in her statement to the police, said she was administering medication to a patient when the accused, Agnel Fernandes, was sitting behind her on a chair and suddenly attacked her from behind.

As she shouted for help, the ward boy and a security guard, who were on duty, came to her help and rescued her. Her colleagues then took her to Cooper Hospital for a medical check-up as she was injured in the attack, said police officers.

Soon after the incident the accused was shifted to Cooper Hospital and an FIR was registered against him on June 16 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his/her duty), 332 (voluntarily causes hurt to deter public servant from his/her duty) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.

Someshwar Kamthe, senior inspector from Amboli police station, said, “We did not arrest the accused as he was under treatment for Covid-19 at Cooper Hospital. On July 7, when he had recovered and was discharged from the hospital, we arrested him.”

“The family of the accused had filed an anticipatory bail application before the court, but we arrested him before the hearing started and informed the court about the same. The court has now remanded him in judicial custody till July 20,” said Kamthe.

“When we asked him the reason behind committing the act, the accused said he didn’t remember why and how it all happened. We have strong evidence against the accused and have procured CCTV footage which captured the entire incident. We have also recorded statements of three to four people who were present at the time of incident.”