The Thodupuzha First Class Judicial Magistrate Court on Friday acquitted Percy Joseph Desmond, manager, Union Bank of India, in a case filed by Additional Superintendent of Police R. Nishanthini accusing him of sexually harassing and outraging the modesty of a woman in his office cabin at Thodupuzha on July 20, 2011.
The prosecution case was that Pameela Biju and Yamuna, civil police officers under Ms, Nishanthini, approached the bank manager for a loan to purchase a scooter and the accused had misbehaved with Ms Biju. On July 26, the accused was summoned to the ASP office and was arrested and produced before the court.
Mr. Desmond produced the CCTV visuals before the court and argued that it was a fabricated case to settle scores for denying bank loan to a firm suggested by Sheeja Jayan, the then Thodupuzha municipal vice chairperson.
There was an argument between the two and Ms. Jayan connived with Ms. Nishanthini and sent the woman civil police officers into the branch on the pretext of taking loan without revealing their identity.
Mr. Desmond argued that he had not misbehaved with the woman and the entire case was fabricated.
The court observed that the case was fabricated, highly unreliable, and unbelievable.
The investigation was conducted in a strange manner and the prosecution failed to establish the case with reliable evidence.
The court also noted that the statement of the accused against Ms Nishanthini and other civil police offices while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kochi were found destroyed and it was cruel and inhuman action on the part of the police.
