Kochi: The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II, Ernakulam, on Thursday sentenced former government pleader Dhanesh Mathew Manjooran to one year in prison for molesting a woman in public. The court also imposed a fine of ₹10,000, with a default sentence of 15 days’ imprisonment.

The incident dates back to July 14, 2016, when Manjooran attempted to molest a woman walking towards Convent Junction in Ernakulam. According to the court, he committed an offence under Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force with the intent to outrage a woman’s modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The survivor, who worked at a nearby shop, was on her way to catch a bus to High Court Junction when the accused approached her at 7.40 pm. After the assault, she raised an alarm, shouting “thief, thief,” alerting people nearby and shopkeepers, who chased and caught Manjooran. Though he initially denied the act, he later apologised when confronted by the woman. Police arrived shortly after and took him into custody.

Manjooran was formally apprehended on May 25, 2018, and released on bail the same day. The trial began that year and concluded on September 22, 2025, with the sentence delivered on Thursday. The court noted that the crime was committed against a woman returning home after work, and that such offences in public spaces are of a serious nature.

During sentencing, the accused pleaded for leniency, citing family circumstances. The prosecution presented 12 witnesses, and the court examined 12 exhibits before delivering its verdict.

Meanwhile, in June 2016, a group of lawyers from the Kerala High Court assaulted journalists multiple times inside the court premises for reporting on the incident. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) organised protests and demanded the media persons' right to report court proceedings without interference from unruly lawyers.