Young man who exposed himself to woman granted bail

A judicial magistrate on Tuesday granted bail to a young man, who was arrested after a video of him exposing himself in front of a woman in the Yousuf Goth area went viral on social media.

Surjani Town police lodged an FIR against Ali under sections 294 (obscene acts) and 509 (insulting modesty or causing sexual harassment) of the Pakistan Pena Code. Investigating officer Rasheed Ahmed produced the suspect before the judicial magistrate (West) and sought his 14-day physical remand in police custody for interrogation.

The IO stated that during interrogation, the suspect admitted to his crime. He is required to be further interrogated about the offence and to ascertain his criminal record if any and arrest his absconding friend, the police officer added.

He said Section 292 (sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.) of the PPC and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act were also attracted in the case since the video went viral on social media.

After hearing the IO, the magistrate observed that the sections invoked against the suspect in the FIR were bailable and therefore "offered" him bail in the sum of Rs50,000. He adjourned the hearing until December 30 with a direction to the police officer to file a charge sheet within the stipulated time.

The FIR was lodged on behalf of the state through SIP Arif, who stated that on December 16, he and his subordinates were on patrol when they came across a video going viral on social media. In the video, a man was seen exposing himself and indulging in obscene acts in front of a female passer-by in a street, he added.