In a disturbing act of voyeurism and harassment, a Chennai-based businessman has been arrested in Delhi for filming a girl student taking a shower. The incident took place at a hotel in Kirti Nagar, Delhi and came to light when the student saw some some movement near the air vent and raised an alarm.
According to a report in The Hindu, Deepak Bora, the businessman, was sharing his room with two friends while the student was on an educational tour with 140 classmates and teachers. The students were from Ranchi.
On Wednesday morning, the student was in the shower when she noticed what turned out to be a mobile phone near the air vent and immediately informed her teacher. Her teacher in turn alerted the hotel authorities and the local police.
When the police reached Bora’s room, he tried to blame his friends and claimed that he was, in fact, sleeping when the incident took place. The police arrested Bora’s friends. However, the police who went through Bora’s friends’ phone found nothing and released them.
According The Hindu report, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar praised the student for acting quickly. The police have arrested Deepak Bora, 29, and booked him for voyeurism and under the IT Act, his phone has been sent for forensic examination.
According the Hindustan Times, Deepak Bora, 29, is a resident of Perambur in Chennai.
According Section 354C of the Indian Penal code, voyeurism is define as “any man who watches, or captures the image of a woman engaging in a private act in circumstances where she would usually have the expectation of not being observed …”
It defines private acts as “where the victim's genitals, posterior or breasts are exposed or covered only in underwear; or the victim is using a lavatory; or the victim is doing a sexual act that is not of a kind ordinarily done in public.”
The first conviction of such an offence is punishable by imprisonment of one-three years and/or a fine. Subsequent convictions are punishable with imprisonment of between three-seven years and/or a fine.