The woman was allegedly molested a month ago by the accused. She sustained injuries to her head, back and legs when the accused allegedly pushed her out of an autorickshaw
A 30-year-old production designer has been arrested by Kasarwadavali police, for allegedly molesting and assaulting his stylist colleague. The woman was allegedly molested a month ago by the accused. She sustained injuries to her head, back and legs when the accused allegedly pushed her out of an autorickshaw.
The woman, also 30, joined a tv/film production studio on November 14 and was assigned the night duty. Her ordeal began the next morning, when she was waiting for an auto to go home. "My colleague, Hemant Sonawane, approached me and held my hand," she claimed. She said when she objected, he said it was cold so he felt like holding her hand. She said, "I told him to mind his behaviour and not to mess with me."
Since that day, she claimed Sonawane would often try to strike up a conversation and call her frequently. She responded initially but then stopped. She claimed he questioned her about it.
On December 6, when she left the studio at 6.30 am, she claimed Sonawane followed her, and when she took an auto, he also got in, saying he wanted to apologise for his behaviour.
"At first Sonawane apologised to her. He even agreed, when she told him not to repeat such behaviour. But then suddenly he grabbed her, tried to kiss her and force himself on her. She shouted and asked the driver to stop, but he was baffled and didn't know what to do," said an officer from Kasarwadavali Police station. According to the woman's statement, the auto was stopped on Ghodbunder Road, near Nissan showroom. When she tried to get out of it, she was roughly pushed out by Sonawane. "The accused then ran away, and told a colleague that the woman had fallen," said a police officer.
"As per her statement, we have booked Hemant Sonawane, 30, under IPC 354 (assault of criminal force to outrage modesty of a women). After her complaint, he was arrested on December 11," added the officer.
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