Mumbai bizman gets 18 months jail for calling minor girl 'item'

Mumbai, Oct 25 (IANS) A special court has convicted a businessman for outraging the modesty and sexual harassment of a minor girl by calling her an "item".

The Dindoshi Special POCSO court judge S.J. Ansari sentenced Abrar N. Khan, a resident of Andheri east, to one and a half years imprisonment for the offence committed in 2015.

The special judge said that the term ("item") "objectified women in a sexual manner" as she slapped the sentence on the businessman, noting such offences and uncalled for behaviour need to be dealt with a heavy hand to protect women.

It was in July 2015 when the minir was returning alone from school that Khan, who was sitting on his bike accosted her, went behind her, pulled her hair and said "Kya item, kidhar jaa rahi ho? Ae item, sun naa (What an item, where are you going? Oh, item, listen to me)", despite her strong protests.

At this, Khan, who was barely 18 then and , started abusing her and boasted that she could not harm him, ("tu mera kya ukhaad legi?"), etc, after which the girl called up the Police Control number.

When the police team reached there, Khan and his friends had fled, while the girl went home to inform her family and later lodged a complaint with the Sakinaka Police Station.

Khan was arrested and released later as he had secured anticipatory bail, and a charge-sheet was filed, but - through his advocate Salma Ansari - claimed he was being "framed" as the girl's family did not like his friendship with their daughter (the victim).

Denying his charges, the victim stood by her contentions and mentioned how she was being constantly harassed by Khan - they both live in the same neighbourhood - with the word "item" disregarding her constant objections and persistent protests.

Upholding the arguments of Special Assistant Public Prosecutor S.S. Mahatekar, the special judge said that the prosecution had proved the fact of Khan having outraged the modesty of the minor girl and sexually harassed her.

The special court also noted how Khan had used the term "item", generally used by boys to address girls in a derogatory fashion, and this clearly indicated his intention of outraging her modesty.

"Such offences need to be dealt with a heavy hand as a lesson needs to be meted out to such roadside Romeos in order to protect the women from their uncalled for behaviour," ruled Special Judge Ansari, while awarding the simple imprisonment to Khan, who had already undergone almost four months in jail as an undertrial.