Man Convicted for Slapping Traffic Police Constable Nine Years Ago Gets One-Day Jail Sentence

A 52-year-old man, Ramesh Shitkar, was found guilty by the Thane Sessions Court in Maharashtra for slapping a traffic police constable, Dilip Pawar, in a road rage incident that occurred on November 18, 2016. Shitkar was convicted under Sections 353 (use of criminal force) and 332 (intentional injury to a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code. The case arose when Constable Pawar stopped Shitkar's speeding car at the Cadbury signal in Thane. After stopping his vehicle abruptly in the middle of the road, Shitkar verbally abused the officer and slapped him. Following this, an FIR was lodged at the Rabodi police station.

Despite the seriousness of the assault, the court sentenced Shitkar to simple imprisonment for just one day and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. The minimal sentence reflected the court’s consideration of Shitkar’s fragile health, his family responsibilities, and his behavior during the trial. The court also evaluated the injury sustained by the policeman and found it was not severe.

The court dismissed Shitkar’s defense claim that he was framed while trying to intervene in a fight between a rickshaw driver and another person. Judge GT Pawar emphasized leniency given the accused’s health issues and the circumstances, balancing justice with compassion while upholding the truth of the offence committed.