Masseur awarded 12-year rigorous imprisonment for raping British woman in Chandigarh hotel, fined Rs 1 lakh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 25

A 31-year-old former employee of Lalit Hotel, IT Park, Chandigarh, has been sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a British national in the hotel’s spa on December 20, 2018.

Goes against country’s ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ spirit

Committing a heinous offence with a foreign national on Indian soil has tainted the country’s motto of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’. Fast Track Court

Swati Sehgal, Special Judge, Fast Track Court, also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the convict. The court said the accused by committing a heinous offence with the foreign national on Indian soil had tainted the country’s motto of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’

“With the rise in rape and assault cases that foreign nationals face in India, a fear psychosis has been created amongst tourists. Rape is not only barbaric act committed with the body of female, but it also leaves scars on her mind and soul that never fade away. Such an act of accused has maligned the image of our country. Accused deserves to be punished sternly,” the court stated in the order.

The police had arrested Farhanuzza Zama, a resident of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, on the complaint of a British woman on December 31, 2018, after registering a case against him under Section 376 of the IPC. The accused was working as a hairstylist-cum-therapist at the hotel.

In her complaint to the police, the woman had alleged she was sitting with her boyfriend in front of the swimming pool around 10.45 am on December 20, 2018, when Zama came and offered them a head and foot massage. The accused touched her inappropriately while massaging and she protested. The accused later sexually assaulted her, she had alleged.

The woman submitted a complaint to the hotel staff after which the management terminated his services. The hotel management promised her that appropriate action would be taken, but when she returned on December 27 after staying at Shimla, she found out no police complaint had been filed, prompting her to approach the police. A case of rape was registered against the accused at the IT Park police station.

The police filed the challan and framed charges against the accused under Section 376 of the IPC. The complainant joined the trial by video conferencing from the UK. The court had convicted him a few days ago.

On the quantum of sentence, the convict prayed for leniency saying he had old parents and four sisters to look after as he was the only bread-winner in the family. The special public prosecutor, however, argued the convict should be dealt with sternly. After hearing of the arguments, the court said the accused deserved no leniency.

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