Caught on CCTV, pervert arrested

Mumbai: The 27-year-old pervert, who flashed himself to four college girls in Powai’s Hiranandani area last week while riding his bike, was arrested on Tuesday evening. The police nabbed the accused with the help of the registration number of his two-wheeler, which was captured by the CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity. According to the police, he already has 10 earlier cases of kidnapping and molestation registered against him at D. N. Nagar and other police stations.

The accused has been identified as Kalpesh Deodhar, a resident of Malvani in Malad west, who sometimes works as a labourer. On July 13, when the four girls belonging to Powai’s Chandrabhan College, were passing the Hiranandani area, the biker suddenly appeared and flashed himself in front of the girls. They immediately approached a constable standing nearby. But the cop told them to go home and assured that action would be taken in the matter. Later, the Powai cops visited their homes and took down their complaint.

During the primary investigation, the police tied up with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and zeroed in on the accused with the help of the registration number of his Yamaha R15 bike. On running his name through their database, the cops learnt that he was a repeat offender.

Speaking to The Asian Age, DCP (Operations) Rashmi Karandikar said, “The accused was arrested from his residence in Malvani on Tuesday evening. He was booked under section 67 of the Information Technology Act that pertains to punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form which can attract a jail term of three years.”

Previous incidents

• On June 29, on the Nargis Dutt road near in the Pali Hill area of the city, a 21-year-old law student was out walking her dog in the morning, when a biker started flashing his bike’s headlight at her. When she ignored him and walked away, he groped her and then fled the scene.
• On July 12, the Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested a the 20-year-old man, identified as Ashok Pradhan, who had allegedly masturbated while staring at a woman at an isolated spot on platform number 13 at CST, in the wee hours of June 29.