Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 5: A special court in Mumbai has convicted a travelling ticket examiner (TTE) and sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment for insulting the modesty of a 17-year-old girl in a 2017 incident, terming the case a reflection of “ego clashes” and a young victim’s fight against corruption.

Special Judge S V Sahare held the accused, Ramchandra Khatape, guilty under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code for using derogatory and obscene remarks against the girl in public. However, he was acquitted of charges under the POCSO Act due to lack of evidence of sexual intent.

“The accused is a government servant in the railway department, meant to serve the public. Instead, he used threatening and offensive language against a young girl,” the court observed, noting that such behaviour was unacceptable from a “matured person” aged 46.

The incident dates back to July 13, 2017, when the girl and her male friend travelled from Ambernath to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) for college admission. They were stopped by ticket examiners who accused them of a ‘break journey’ violation and demanded a fine of Rs 540.

When the students said they only had Rs 200, the officials allegedly took the amount without issuing a receipt, leading to a prolonged dispute. The girl’s father and uncle later reached the spot, and the matter was also raised on social media.

The court noted that during the altercation, Khatape verbally abused the girl, making inappropriate comments about her character and accusing her of roaming with a boyfriend instead of attending college.

It further observed that refusal to provide a receipt indicated an attempt to “grab” money. Rejecting the defence’s claim of false allegations, the court said no family would risk a young girl’s reputation by fabricating such accusations.

The ruling underscores the responsibility of public servants to maintain dignity and respect while dealing with citizens, particularly women.