Astrologer gets one-year RI

Panchkula, August 9
A local court today awarded a one-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) to a Panchkula-based astrologer in connection with an eight-year-old molestation case.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Rakesh Singh awarded punishment to Ravi Dutt Shandilya, an astrologer and a resident of Sector 11.
The court also slapped a fine of Rs 3,000 on the guilty. The court awarded punishment to the accused under Sections 354 (molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Public prosecutor Govinder said in case of default in the payment of fine, the accused would further serve three more months in imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, the victim, working as a computer clerk in the office of Shandilya, had alleged that the accused was involved in obscene acts with her. She had further alleged that the accused had touched her body parts as well.
On the complaint of the victim, an FIR was registered against the accused on February 8, 2003 in the Sector 5 police station.
The victim and her father had also deposed before the court. The victim in her statement before the court had stated that the accused had also threatened her that he would kill her if she would disclose this act to her family members.