The prosecutor sought a 'deterence sentence' against the Indian IT professional in Singapore
An Indian information technology professional in Singapore has been jailed for nine weeks for molesting a woman in a crowded metro train in the city. Rajagopala Soundararaja Panneer Selvan, 46, would have been jailed for two years, but the court reduced the sentence after he admitted to molesting the 28-year-old woman in a metro coach and apologised for his action.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Yiwen told the court the woman felt someone pushing her from behind in the metro coach, which she boarded at Singapore's Kembangan station on March 16.
She, however, did not pay much attention, The Straits Times reported. Soon, the same thing happened again. When she turned around, she saw a man standing behind her, who was later identified as the Indian software professional.
When the train arrived at City Hall station in Singapore's Central Business District, the man got out and walked away to the opposite platform, while the woman continued to Tanjong Pagar.
The prosecutor said the woman filed a police complaint in order to stop Selvan from molesting other women. The police arrested him on April 18. A second charge of touching a woman in a metro train was also considered against him.
The convict's lawyer Ravinderpal Singh said his client realised his action was wrong. The prosecutor then sought at least a six-week jail term, saying a deterrence sentence will discourage him from committing such offence in future.
District Judge Samuel Chua backdated the accused's sentence to July 13.