Thane, Jul 9 (PTI) A Thane district court has convicted and sentenced a man to one-year rigorous jail term for molesting a woman, a verdict coming within just 35 days of the First Information Report (FIR) registration.
The court at Kalyan gave the verdict on Tuesday and handed one-year rigorous imprisonment to the accused, Omkar Vikrant Nikalje (29), and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.
Of the fine amount, Rs 2,500 is to be paid to the victim as compensation, while the remaining sum is to be deposited with the government treasury, the court said.
This fast-tracked process, from arrest to final judgment, marks a record of its kind in speedy justice, the Thane police said in a release.
The case related to a crime registered with the Khadakpada police station of Kalyan division.
The case was handled in accordance with special directives issued to expedite trials involving crimes against women and juveniles, the release said.
According to the release, an FIR was registered on June 3, 2025, against the accused Nikalje under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 329(3) (criminal trespass and house-trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The accused was arrested the same day by police and, in a rare feat, a chargesheet was filed within six hours, it said
The court proceedings were fast-tracked as per judicial guidelines.
The framing of charges against the accused and initial court hearing took place on June 5, just two days after the FIR registration.
Following a swift trial, First Class Judicial Magistrate (FCJM) Aarti Shinde pronounced the verdict on July 8, convicting the accused and sentencing him.
The release emphasized that this outcome aligns with the Thane police's operational directive to ensure that investigations in cases involving women and juveniles are completed within 48 hours, allowing for prompt filing of chargesheets and accelerated judicial processes.
This case stands as a notable example of administrative coordination and judicial efficiency in delivering swift justice in crimes against women, it added.