Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Dec 2: The district and sessions court judge, justice Dinesh Hegde sentenced the accused in a case of sexually harassing an 80-year-old woman and also robbing her of her ear rings, mangalsutra and cash to ten years rigorous imprisonment (RI).
Irfan (30), a native of JP Nagar in Shivamogga in the accused who is convicted.
An 80-year-old woman of Tamil Nadu was living in the city for 40 years. She was a fish loader at Malpe port. But for the past 10 years, she used to pick scrap and sell the same to the scrap dealer at PPC road in the city and used to sleep in the vicinity of Sri Krishna Math.
Irfan was watching the woman everyday as he was working in the chicken shop owned by the son of the scrap dealer’s owner. On June 5, 2017, Irfan sexually harassed the woman and also robbed her of her golden ornaments and cash and escaped.
The woman who was ill, was admitted to Udupi district hospital. Women police station personnel took statement for the woman and registered a case on June 7.
Later, Irfan was in judicial custody at Bengaluru in connection with a murder case. On May 16, 2019, Udupi police took him into custody under body warrant and conducted inquiry and filed charge sheet in the court in 2018.
The court started the hearing in April 2022. As many as 18 witnesses deposed before the court and the judge opined that witness of 15 confirms the crime committed by the accused.
Irfan was sentenced to 10 years RI and fined Rs 50,000. If he fails to pay the fine, he has to undergo one year of additional prison sentence.
Public prosecutor Jayaram Shetty argued for the prosecution.