MAPUSA
A Mapusa court has convicted a man in a stalking and assault case, sentencing him to imprisonment and imposing a total fine of Rs 35,000, in what is being seen as the first conviction in Goa after a full-fledged trial under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Akshata Kale found the accused, Sarvesh alias Muru alias Babu, a resident of Arpora, guilty under multiple provisions of the BNS.
The court sentenced him to three years’ simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 15,000 under Section 78, imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 79 and awarded one year’s simple imprisonment along with a Rs 10,000 fine under Section 333.
The court further directed that the total fine amount be paid to the victim as compensation upon deposit.
The case arose from a complaint lodged on May 26 last year by a woman from Arpora, who alleged that the accused had been persistently stalking her over a prolonged period.
According to the prosecution, the accused, armed with a koita (sickle), criminally trespassed into the veranda of the complainant’s residence while she was alone at home.
He allegedly attempted to assault her, wrongfully restrained her and threatened her with death. The accused also verbally abused her in obscene language, insulted her modesty, threatened to rape her, and issued death threats against her family members.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Public Prosecutor Tejas Chodankar, while PSI Saish Kinlekar conducted the investigation.
