Bengaluru court sentences TN man to 3 years in jail for molesting minor on flight
Bengaluru, Sept 9: A fast-track special court has sentenced a 51-year-old man from Tamil Nadu to three years of imprisonment for sexually harassing a minor girl during a Doha-Bengaluru flight.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Ammawasai Murugesan.
The incident took place on June 27, 2023, when Murugesan, under the influence of alcohol, inappropriately touched the minor girl while on the flight. The girl’s mother objected to his actions, after which flight attendants changed their seats.
Upon landing, the girl's father reported the matter to Kempegowda International Airport police, leading to Murugesan’s arrest under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He was granted bail on July 27, 2023.
During the trial, the victim testified via video link as she was abroad.
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Last week, the Additional District and Sessions Fast-Track Special Court in Bengaluru Rural district found Murugesan guilty and convicted him under the POCSO Act.
The court order stated that if Murugesan fails to pay the fine, he would face an additional three months of imprisonment. Half of the fine amount -- Rs 5,000 -- is to be paid as compensation to the victim.
The court also noted that Murugesan is entitled to set off the time he spent in judicial custody from June 28 to July 27, 2023, against his sentence.
The court has granted Murugesan bail to appeal against the conviction, citing his cooperative behavior throughout the trial and regular attendance in court hearings. Under Section 389(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), he can remain out on bail until the appeal period expires.
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Mentally unstable man arrested for bludgeoning elderly mother, wife to death in Jharkhand
Lohardaga (Jharkhand) (PTI): A mentally unstable man was arrested for allegedly bludgeoning his elderly mother and wife to death in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place in Dhanamuji village in Bhandra police station area on Saturday evening. The deceased have been identified as Rupi Oraon (62) and Somri Oraon (45), they said.
"The accused, Madwa Oraon, was arrested immediately after the incident. He allegedly attacked his mother and wife with an iron rod after an altercation over some issues, leading to their death on the spot," Lohardaga Superintendent of Police (SP) Sadique Anwar Rizvi said.
He said the bodies of both the victims were sent to Sadar Hospital, Lohardaga for post-mortem examination.
"The accused is mentally unstable. He has been receiving treatment for the last one year. He used to get agitated over small issues, and that might have been the reason behind the incident," another police officer said.
An FIR has been registered against the accused, Manoj Gupta, officer-in-charge of Bhandra police station, said.
