Two foreign nationals held for sexually harassing actress at a Mumbai 5-star hotel

IMAGE REPRESENTATIONAL: AFP/ FILE

New Delhi: Two foreign nationals were recently arrested by the Santacruz police  in Mumbai for allegedly sexually harassing a Marathi actress and her friend. According to a report in Mumbai daily Mid-Day, the accused were identified as Edrick Divyago, 25, and Philipic Rodrigues, 38, nationals of Czech Republic in India on a tourist visa. The incident reportedly occurred at a coffee shop of Hotel Sea Princess on February 4. The foreigners kept on passing lewd remarks at the actress and her friend and made objectionable gestures. The two men then tried to get close to the women to touch them. The exasperated ladies complained to the manager of the hotel who asked the foreigners to leave the premises but after a short while they again returned and continued making abhorrent gestures near the lift. Unable to put up with their actions further, the actress then called up the local police and reported the matter, An FIR under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 509 (molestation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was registered, the news report said. The foreigners were later granted bail on a heavy penalty.