Man nabbed for groping girl on Andheri bldg staircase

Meghwadi Police have arrested Manoj Todankar (24) for groping a 12-year-old minor girl on the residential building’s staircase. The incident occurred on September 24 and the arrest was made three days later.

Police said that the incident was captured on the CCTV camera installed in the building and the accused confessed of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of incident. He was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)

Act.

Police said that on September 24 when the minor girl was going home with her younger brother, Todankar, who was allegedly in an inebriated state, followed her. When the minor was walking up the stairs of Kokan Ratna building at Andheri (E), Todankar groped her from behind and fled the spot. The incident, however, was captured in the CCTV camera footage, where a man dressed in blue jeans and black shirt was caught in the act.

The girl immediately informed her parents about the incident, who approached Meghwadi Police and registered a case against the unidentified accused. Police began the investigation and identified the accused as Todankar, who works as a drummer for a local group. However, when a team was sent to arrest him, police learnt that Todankar had fled the city and was on the run.

On Friday, police received a tip-off that Todankar was seen at relative’s place in Samata Nagar, Kandivli (E) and a police team was sent there to arrest him. Todankar was arrested on Friday and was produced in a local magistrate court on Saturday.

Todankar confessed that he was in an inebriated state during the act and ‘went with the flow’ under the influence of alcohol. He was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.