Court gives 7-day jail term to AAP MLA Manoj Kumar for assaulting woman

A Delhi court has awarded 7-day jail term to Aam Aadmi Party MLA Manoj Kumar for assaulting a woman in 2014.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal said that the lawmaker was "a public servant and therefore it was his duty to behave fairly and courteously to those who approach him with their problems".

The court refused to release him on probation of good conduct, noting that the convict was previously convicted in another case and was sentenced to three months imprisonment.

"Therefore, the punishment needs to be deterrent in this case. In this case, the accused Manoj Kumar has been convicted for commission of offence of under section 352 (punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) of the IPC.

 

"In the facts and circumstances of the case, he is punished with a simple imprisonment for a period of seven days and with fine of Rs 500 under section 352 of the IPC," the court said.

At request of the convict that he wished to file an appeal against his conviction, however, the court granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety of the like amount for 30 days.

While convicting Kumar for assault, the court had, however, acquitted him of the charge of 354 (assaulting woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC, saying it was clear that "the intention and motive of the accused may be was to shove away the complainant on some issue but not to insult or outrage her modesty".

According to the prosecution, the woman had gone to the lawmaker, seeking redressal of water logging related problems.

The convict, however, asked her not to disturb him and pushed the woman inappropriately.