A sessions court has convicted a 28-year-old man and imposed a penalty of ₹20,000 on him for pushing a ticket checker (TC) who asked him to pay a fine for travelling without a ticket in 2020. Considering that the convict was 25-years-old at the time of the incident, the court didn't sentence him to imprisonment, while noting that he had purchased a ticket using the UTS app, but was not carrying the mobile on which the app was downloaded. The court underlined that the accused insisted he had a valid pass, but as per railway rules, it was not valid.
Commuter injured TC
The incident occurred on February 4, 2020. Ulwe resident Mohammad Shamim was commuting in the first class compartment of a CSMT- Panvel local train. TC Joseph Peterappa asked him to show his ticket after the train passed the Nerul station. He could not show one and also refused to pay a fine. The TC asked him to alight at the Seawoods station. Subsequently, Peterappa and a colleague took Shamim to the railway office and insisted that he pay the fine. An annoyed Shamim pushed Peterappa against a door, resulting in a swelling on the latter's head. The aggrieved lodged a complaint at the Vashi railway police station.
The court found Shamim guilty under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).
Additional Sessions Judge SD Tawshikar then proceeded to direct that ₹5,000 from the fine amount be paid as compensation to Peterappa as he has suffered physical as well as mental agony due to the incident.
Addition ₹1000 fine imposed
The court convicted Shamim also under the Railways Act's provision for trespass and imposed another fine of Rs1,000. It cleared him of the charge booked under the IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
