MUMBAI: A court held a 22-year-old man guilty of raping a woman by looking into her eyes and holding her hand, but refused to punish him given his age and lack of criminal record.
Magistrate Aarti Kulkarni said that the accused Mohammad Kaif Fakir does not deserve a lesser punishment by birth but considering his age and background, he should be given the benefit of probation. The order was passed on August 22 in which the court said that the court cannot ignore the mental torture and harassment caused to the woman but sentencing the accused may affect her image and future in the society. The court awarded Fakir Rs. He was released on a bond of Rs. 15,000 and asked to appear before the probation officer when called.
According to the complaint filed in Byculla police station in April 2022, the woman ordered grocery items from a local shop and the accused was working in that shop and came to deliver the items to the complainant's house. While taking a glass of water, the accused asked for drinking water, the accused touched the woman's hand inappropriately and winked at her.
The second time, while handing her a bag of groceries, he touched her hand and winked at her. The accused fled when the woman screamed. The woman informed her husband about the incident and lodged a police complaint. The accused claims that it was a mistake and there was no intention to molest her. However, the court said that the victim and the accused were present at the time of the incident and the evidence and the woman's statement were enough to implicate the accused.