Mumbai: A Peru woman, whose molester has been sentenced to 2-year rigorous imprisonment, told the court she has travelled across the world alone but never experienced anything like the incident at the Byculla guest house. The woman, who deposed with the help of an interpreter as she only spoke Spanish, said she was now afraid to travel in the country.
Giving the verdict, metropolitan magistrate P I Mokashi said if the accused, Riyaz Ahmed, was given benefit under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, a wrong message would be sent throughout the world. Under the Act, an accused can be let off on a bond of good behaviour instead of serving a sentence.
The chargesheet in the case was submitted just two days after the incident following a probe by officers of the Byculla police station. The charges were framed agaainst the accused on the same day and the trial commenced with the woman deposing. Public prosecutor Sonali Kamble examined three witnesses, including the woman, the investigating officer and the guest house manager.
The woman told the court that she arrived in India on March 26 for tourism and stayed at Welcome Guest House that she found online. She had booked the guest house for one night. The woman said after a tour of the city and a subsequent live music show, she returned to the guest house at 11pm. She said after she changed into her night clothes, the accused came into the room and insisted she look for another room as there were insects in that room. At that moment, the accused touched the pocket of her T-shirt on the left side of her chest. She thought that he was trying to remove insects from her clothes, therefore, she started to remove it herself. However, she found that there were no insects on her T- shirt.
The woman said after the accused repeatedly suggested that she switch rooms, she accepted another one but it did not have a latch. She said that later the accused entered the room and asked her whether she was married. Shocked, she said “yes, of course” and showed him her ring. He left the room and came back again with his phone and asked her for a selfie with him. She said no to him. The woman said with the help of the translator app she then told the accused not to disturb her and went to sleep. She said around 4am, she found somebody was touching her neck, but she ignored it as she thought she was dreaming. Then for the second time, she felt the same touch. She woke up and she saw the accused, as there was light coming from the window. She screamed as she was afraid. Thereafter, he left the room and closed the door. She could not breath, but with courage she went towards the reception. She saw him at the reception and told him in her language “it was you”. Then she told him in English she would call the police. She went to the next room to wake up her friend. He called the police.
The magistrate refuted the defence of the accused that he had gone to take his charger from her room and had patted her to wake her up.
Giving the verdict, metropolitan magistrate P I Mokashi said if the accused, Riyaz Ahmed, was given benefit under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, a wrong message would be sent throughout the world. Under the Act, an accused can be let off on a bond of good behaviour instead of serving a sentence.
The chargesheet in the case was submitted just two days after the incident following a probe by officers of the Byculla police station. The charges were framed agaainst the accused on the same day and the trial commenced with the woman deposing. Public prosecutor Sonali Kamble examined three witnesses, including the woman, the investigating officer and the guest house manager.
The woman told the court that she arrived in India on March 26 for tourism and stayed at Welcome Guest House that she found online. She had booked the guest house for one night. The woman said after a tour of the city and a subsequent live music show, she returned to the guest house at 11pm. She said after she changed into her night clothes, the accused came into the room and insisted she look for another room as there were insects in that room. At that moment, the accused touched the pocket of her T-shirt on the left side of her chest. She thought that he was trying to remove insects from her clothes, therefore, she started to remove it herself. However, she found that there were no insects on her T- shirt.
The woman said after the accused repeatedly suggested that she switch rooms, she accepted another one but it did not have a latch. She said that later the accused entered the room and asked her whether she was married. Shocked, she said “yes, of course” and showed him her ring. He left the room and came back again with his phone and asked her for a selfie with him. She said no to him. The woman said with the help of the translator app she then told the accused not to disturb her and went to sleep. She said around 4am, she found somebody was touching her neck, but she ignored it as she thought she was dreaming. Then for the second time, she felt the same touch. She woke up and she saw the accused, as there was light coming from the window. She screamed as she was afraid. Thereafter, he left the room and closed the door. She could not breath, but with courage she went towards the reception. She saw him at the reception and told him in her language “it was you”. Then she told him in English she would call the police. She went to the next room to wake up her friend. He called the police.
The magistrate refuted the defence of the accused that he had gone to take his charger from her room and had patted her to wake her up.
