Student's molestation; convict teacher gets one year jail term

A Delhi court today awarded one year jail term to a teacher of a reputed music school here for outraging the modesty of a 10-year-old student almost five years ago.
    
Metropolitan magistrate Geetanjali Goel, who rejected the plea of convict Dileep Soloman that he be released on probation, convicted him under section 354 (outraging the modesty of woman) and 509 (making indecent gesture to insult a woman) of IPC.
    
The court allowed the plea of additional public prosecutor S K Dass that the benefit of probation should not be granted as it would send a wrong signal to the society.

"The convict was a teacher and committed the offence with a 10-year-old student. He does not deserve to be let off with such a lighter punishment," he said.

The defence counsel, however, said the accused had suffered a lot as he lost his reputation and job because of the case.
    
Soloman, who was working as a piano teacher at Delhi School of Music, had outraged the girl's modesty on February 27 and March 19 in 2004 in the school premises.
    
The court, in its judgement, relied on the testimony of the minor victim saying it was credible. It also said the allegation the girl had a motive to implicate was not proved.