Saying ‘aaja aaja’ to a minor is sexual harassment: Mumbai Court

Mumbai: Observing that following a girl and repeatedly saying ‘aaja aaja’ to her despite her clear indication of disinterest in him is sexual harassment, a sessions court in Dindoshi has convicted a 32-year-old man under a provision of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

Incident took place in Sep 2015

The incident took place in Sep 2015, when the victim was a 15-year-old Class X student. Appearing before the court, she had told it that when she was proceeding to her French tuitions by walking, the man, then in his mid-twenties, had followed her on a bicycle and uttered ‘aaja aaja’ repeatedly.

He continued this for a few more days. On the first day, she had tried to take help from men who were on the street. They had tried to chase him but he had fled on his bicycle. She had told her tuition teacher and her parents about the incidents. Soon, she found that he was working as night watchman in an adjoining building and told her mother. The mother approached the police and lodged a complaint.

Accused arrested in Sep 2015 and secured bail in March 2016

The man had sought leniency and told the court that he has a wife and a three-year old child and is poor. Additional Sessions Judge AZ Khan sentenced him to the period he had already undergone as an undertrial between Sep 2015, when he was arrested and March, 2016, when he secured bail.