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Painter gives minor ‘flying kiss’ in Mumbai suburb, court fines him Rs5,000
This is the first time a fine has been imposed on a person convicted of such a crime, said Mumbai police
The Thane sessions court fined a painter Rs5,000 on Saturday for giving a minor girl a flying kiss seven years ago. If the convict, Mandar Arun Jagtap, 27, is unable to pay the fine, he will be sent to jail for five days, said the court.
Jagtap is a resident of Vartak Nagar in Thane, said police. On June 8, 2010, he stalked a 16-year-old girl, who was going to school, and made the gesture at her.
He then fled. The Class 9 student went home and told her parents what had happened. They approached the Vartak Nagar police, who filed a case.
“We had filed a case and arrested Jagtap, after which he was released on bail. We filed a charge sheet, gathered evidence and recorded the statements of eyewitnesses.He would jump the hearings out of fear and so the case kept getting delayed,” said Abhijit Bhujbal,investigating police officer.
“This is the first time a fine has been imposed on a person convicted of such a crime. The order will serve as an example and deter people who think they will not be punished for such behaviour. We expect crimes of such a nature to decrease following this,” said Sunil Lokhande, deputy commissioner of police from zone 5..
