‘Molest’ 9 in teary defence

On any other day, visitors to Siddhivinayak Building could have walked into a full-blooded shot off a cricket bat. The pads, wickets and gloves were all gone today — tears had replaced the sound of laughter and running feet.

“Our careers are over, our lives are ruined,” cried Derek Jadhav, one of the 14 accused of molesting two NRI women on New Year night.

The 19-year-old and eight of the alleged molesters — all residents of this building in suburban Mumbai — today spoke to the media, the first time since the Juhu incident.

“We have been tried by the media. I wasn’t even there at the spot. I left office around 2pm and spent New Year at a friend’s place,” said Amit Kapoor, 26, an insurance agent. “I have my ATM slip to prove that I had withdrawn money at 11:30pm that day. How can I be there in two places at the same time?”

Derek claimed they were just onlookers and the photographers, who had identified them, had clicked the wrong persons. “Why didn’t they say the women and their male friends were behaving obscenely and were dead drunk? Why was only one side of the story publicised?

“We saw a crowd of 150 surrounding two couples. We became curious and got thrown into the scene,” said Derek, who along with the others headed for Shirdi after their release on bail yesterday.

Their family members and friends had arranged two cars to take them for a darshan of Sai Baba.

Nilesh Bhagatkar, 19, whose photograph was splashed in the media, was in tears. “The guy in the white shirt, who we hear is the main accused and who the police are yet to trace, pushed us. We were dragged in by the crowd,” he cried.

News Source : Samachar