Assam: Barpeta court jails man for three years in voyeurism case

A court in Barpeta, Assam, has sentenced a man to three years of rigorous imprisonment for filming a woman without her consent whilst she was bathing.

Ripon Ahmed, a resident of Ward Number 3 in Sorbhog, was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000. Should he fail to pay, he will face an additional six months behind bars.

The case came to light after Ahmed secretly recorded a video of a woman teacher, a serious violation of her privacy and dignity. Such offences have drawn increasing attention across India, with courts taking a firm stance against voyeurism and similar crimes targeting women.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Debabrata Kalita delivered the verdict, marking another instance where the judiciary has reinforced legal protections for women against privacy violations.

The conviction falls under provisions that criminalise voyeurism, which was recognised as a distinct offence following amendments to strengthen laws against sexual harassment and privacy breaches.