Man jailed for misbehaving, wrongfully confining woman polio worker

A gender-based violence court on Friday jailed a man for misbehaving and wrongfully confining a woman polio worker.

Mohammad Usman had been charged with refusing polio drops to his children, misbehaving with a female polio worker, confining her for ten minutes, attempting to sexually abuse her and breaking her cellphone within the jurisdiction of the SITE-A police station in October last year.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (West) Irshad Hussain announced his order after recording evidence and final arguments from both prosecution and defence sides. The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charge of rape against the accused.

He, however, found the accused guilty of committing offences punishable under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), and 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The convict was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for the period he has already served in prison since his arrest and told to pay a collective fine of Rs40,000. Upon failure to pay the fine, he would have to undergo additional three-month imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, accused Usman was arrested on October 23, 2023. An FIR was lodged at the SITE-A police station against him on the complaint of District Health Officer Kiamari Dr Ayub.