'Kissing Is Not Reaction To A Fall': Mumbai Man Who Forcibly Kissed Female Worker In Mall Gets 1 Year Jail

In a recent verdict, a 34-year-old man in Mumbai has been sentenced to one year in prison for forcibly kissing a female worker at a mall and using criminal force against her. The Dindoshi Sessions Court convicted Ritesh Rajubhai Armulla for outraging the modesty of the woman, after placing significant weight on the complainant's testimony and witness statements.

The incident occurred at a mall in Shimpoli area, Borivali West, where the woman was employed as a salesgirl. On September 17 last year, the woman was on duty when a man wearing a pink shirt approached her, asking for directions to the washroom. Despite her assistance, the man persistently asked her to accompany him. The woman declined, urging him to go directly to the washroom, which he eventually did.

However, Armulla returned shortly thereafter and allegedly kissed the woman without her consent. The physical altercation caused both of them to fall to the ground. Witnesses intervened, aiding the woman in making a police complaint.

The court focused on the testimony of the complainant and the supporting accounts by witnesses, who corroborated the timeline of events. The court found the evidence to be consistent and credible, stating that there was no reason to doubt the assertions of the complainant and witnesses. The court rejected the defense's argument that the incident could have been an accident, emphasizing that if Armulla had fallen onto the woman, his subsequent actions would not have been accidental.

The judge concluded that the sequence of events clearly indicated deliberate conduct, specifically the use of criminal force, leading to the conviction and one-year prison sentence for Armulla.