A Mumbai man accused of molesting a former Bollywood actor on a flight -- when she was a minor -- was convicted Wednesday by a special POCSO court.

Vikas Sachdeva, a 41-year-old consultant, was convicted under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (dealing with assault or criminal force used with the intent to outrage a woman's modesty). He and his wife broke down in court when he was convicted.

The defense had filed an application to suspend the sentence till an appeal is filed in the Bombay High Court. They also sought bail to be granted for Vikas Sachdeva.

The court has accepted the plea and granted bail to Sachdeva.

QUANTUM OF PUNISHMENT

Vikas Sachdeva was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs 25,500.

His lawyer Adnan Shaikh argued that he had a good nature, and that he was a a first-time offender and his household's sole breadwinner.

It was also argued that Sachdeva had the option of appeal before a higher court.

The prosecution, on the other hand, sought maximum punishment.

PASSENGER, CREW MEMBERS SAY SACHDEVA WAS ASLEEP

The actor said Vikas Sachdeva was sitting behind her on the plane, placed his leg on her armrest and molested her. But three of the seven prosecution witnesses -- one passenger and two cabin crew members -- said Sachdeva slept throughout the flight.

KEY PROCEDURE NOT COMPLETED

The actor was one of the witnesses who deposed during court proceedings, but she did not return to complete a crucial procedure -- the identification of the accused by the victim in court -- despite repeated attempts by the prosecution and police.

Pointing to a social media post, the defence argued that the actor -- by her own admission -- hallucinates

The actor wrote on Instagram in 2018:

"Perhaps it could've been 'just a phase' but this awful phase has put me in situations I never wished or chose to be in. Popping five antidepressants every day, anxiety attacks, being rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, feeling empty, restless, anxious, hallucinations, having sore limbs from sleeping too much to not being able to sleep for weeks, from overeating to starving myself, unexplained fatigue, body ache, self loathing, nervous breakdowns, suicidal thoughts were all parts of this phase."

The defence produced only one witness: the wife of the accused.

It argued that Sachdeva had taken a day-long trip to Delhi to attend a funeral, was tired and was sleeping on the flight with his leg on the armrest.