Businessman who molested teenage actor gets bail

Mumbai: The Dindoshi sessions’s court on Wednesday granted bail to Vikas Sachdeva (39), a private firm executive arrested for allegedly molesting actor Zaira Wasim (17) onboard a Delhi-Mumbai flight on December 9. The court also directed Sachdeva, who is a resident of suburban Kandivli, to visit the Sahar police station on the first Sunday of every month and to not influence any witness in the case. The court also directed him not to put any messages against the victim in the social media.

The city civil and sessions court judge A.D. Deo granted bail to Sachdeva on a personal bond of '25,000. While opposing the bail, Assistant Public Prosecutor Munna Inamdar argued that accused should not be granted any relief because offences levelled against him are very serious in nature.

Defence lawyer Harvinder Singh Anand said the complaint lodged by the actor with police was an after thought, as she had not raised the issue with the cabin crew of the flight. He also argued that the police before his arrest illegally detained Sachdeva. The court accepted the defence argument and granted bail to Sachdeva.

Ms Wasim had accused Sachdeva of molesting her onboard the Mumbai-bound Vistara flight on December 9.

Following an outrage, Sachdeva was booked under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC, and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) since the actor is a minor and was arrested a day after the incident.

TIMELINE OF THE CASE

• December 9, the incident took place
• December 10 ,offence registered at Sahar police station
• Remanded in police custody for two days
• Section 354 of IPC n
• Section 8 of POCSO act.
• December 20 bail granted