Dubai: A financial analyst was jailed for three months for molesting a woman in an elevator although he claimed that he was applying the ‘ladies-first’ rule when he unintentionally groped her.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 40-year-old Indian defendant, K.K., of groping his 27-year-old countrywoman in the elevator at their workplace in November 2013.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported following the completion of his jail term.
The financial analyst said in court that he acted out of politeness when he gave way to the woman to leave an elevator before him and did not molest her.
“I was being polite observing the ladies first rule. I did not breach her modesty,” said K.K. when he entered a not guilty plea.
Prosecutors said K.K. molested the woman by groping her during a tea break. He also breached her modesty by caressing her hair while they were alone in the elevator.
“I just asked her to leave the elevator ahead of me,” the suspect contended when presiding judge Jamal questioned him.
The woman said she was making herself tea at the office canteen when the defendant groped her.
“When he groped me, I asked him why he did so. He smiled and I walked out and headed to the elevator… he followed me. While the elevator was going to the second floor, K.K. touched my face and hair and kept his hands on my head until the door opened. I was afraid to push him. I complained to the Human Resources Department’s assistant manager. She called him to the office and he admitted to her that he touched me and asked for forgiveness. When two weeks passed and the defendant was not punished, I reported the matter to the police,” claimed the woman.
The assistant manager, from Barbados, said the defendant claimed to her that he mistakenly touched the woman in the canteen.
“Meanwhile he alleged that he touched her in a friendly manner in the elevator. The suspect was handed a written warning and cautioned that his services would be terminated and he would be subject to legal action if he repeated his behaviour,” she claimed to prosecutors.
A policeman cited the defendant alleging that he was giving way to his workmate to leave the elevator.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
