New Delhi: A 55-year-old man, suffering from heart ailment, has been let off by a Delhi court on probation for a year after being convicted of "insulting the modesty" of a washerwoman by hurling filthy abuses at her. Metropolitan Magistrate Rachna T Lakhanpal let off North Delhi resident and convict Suresh Kumar Gupta, warning him of a stern sentence in case he fails to maintain a good behaviour during his freedom on probation.
"Using of such filthy language against the complainant, a woman, is absolutely indecent behaviour and offensive to morality...The accused`s conduct was indecent and offensive," the court said.
According to the prosecution, on July 15, 2007, Gupta went to Guddi`s shop and asked her why his ironed clothes were not delivered at his house.
Guddi told Gupta her son had gone the day before to his house to deliver the ironed clothes but his door was locked. She also said as soon as her husband - who had gone to fetch coal - comes, he will deliver his clothes.
At this Gupta lost his cool and started hurling filthy abuses at her and even pushed her and threatened to burn her `jhuggi (hut)`. The matter was reported to police. Convicting Gupta under IPC section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult a woman`s modesty), the court observed, "These offences are not only offences against the individual but against public morals and society as well...modesty is considered to be an attribute of a human female irrespective of age and social and economic background."
"...the accused has intentionally insulted the modesty of the complainant by uttering filthy abuses," the court said.
The judge, however, released Gupta on probation for an year, saying, "I am of the view that the convict herein must have learnt from his past mistake and want to join the society to display good behaviour and be a better asset for the society as a whole."
PTI