HC grants pre-arrest bail to railway staffer who urinated near woman's berth in train

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted pre-arrest bail to a railway ticket collector (TC) accused of urinating near a woman's berth in a train in an inebriated state but directed him to pay Rs 25,000 for installing a water cooler at Thane railway station.

Justice Bharati Dangre noted that the accused, Munesh Chand Meena, who is supposed to be the custodian of the railways, had engaged in an "unpardonable" act and directed him to pay Rs 25,000 for the installation of a water cooler.

According to the police, the incident occurred on March 7 when the complainant woman was travelling by the Nizamuddin-Pune Duronto Express train.

In the night, she woke up to see a man urinating near her berth.

When the woman started screaming, other passengers in her compartment became alert and started taking videos of the man.

A complaint was lodged at the Karjat railway police station.

While granting Meena the anticipatory bail, Justice Dangre noted that he had been suspended and a departmental inquiry was on against him, and there was no need for custodial interrogation.

"The act may not require a custodial interrogation, but the custodian is expected not to behave in such an obnoxious way by urinating near the berth of the woman, especially when he is in an inebriated condition," Justice Dangre said.