Mumbai businessman convicted for molesting former Bollywood actor gets conditional bail

A single judge bench of Justice Prithviraj K Chavan also suspended the three-year sentence until disposal of his appeal against the conviction. (File Photo)

A Mumbai businessman convicted for molesting a former Bollywood actor, then a minor, onboard an Air Vistara flight has been granted conditional bail by the Bombay High Court.

A single judge bench of Justice Prithviraj K Chavan also suspended the three-year sentence until disposal of his appeal against the conviction.

The court released businessman Vikas Sachdev on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 with two sureties, and the condition that he cannot leave Mumbai without permission of the Dindoshi Sessions Court.

In February, businessman Sachdev had moved the high court after a special POCSO Court convicted and sentenced him for three-year imprisonment. However, the sentence was suspended by the POCSO Court so that he could approach the high court.

Sachdev in his plea before the high court submitted that the trial court had erred in finding him guilty and said the victim had not identified him before the trial court. He further said it was a fit case to quash and set aside conviction and sentence against him.

The prosecution had examined seven witnesses, including the actor, who had provided an account of the incident on social media. Sachdev was arrested subsequently and was later released on bail.

The victim, in her social media post, had said a co-passenger sitting behind her put up his feet on her armrest.

“So, I was in a flight travelling from Delhi to Mumbai today and right behind me one middle-aged man who made my two-hour journey miserable. I tried to record it on phone to understand it better because the cabin lights were dimmed, I failed to get it.,” she had posted on social media.

“The lights were dimmed, so it was even worse. It continued for another five to ten minutes and then I was sure of it. He kept nudging my shoulder and continued to move his foot up and down my back and neck,” she said in the video post, following the incident. The accused, however, said the victim was possibly “hallucinating”.