Uber auto driver booked for misbehaving with female journalist in Delhi

Delhi Police have registered a case in connection to the incident in which a driver allegedly misbehaved with a female journalist in an Uber auto-rickshaw in the national capital.

"Efforts to trace and nab the accused are on," said police officials on Friday.

"On 02.03.23 at about 11.00 pm, one Ms X resident of Bharat Nagar approached police station NFC and filed a complaint against one driver. She levelled allegations of indecent behaviour as well as lascivious staring by him, while she was travelling from NFC to Malviya Nagar on 01.03.23 at about 4.40 pm," read the official statement from Delhi Police.

The police have registered an FIR under IPC section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and initiated a probe into the incident.

"Accordingly a case vide FIR No. 92/23 u/s 509 IPC dated 02.03.23 was registered at PS NFC and an investigation was taken up. Further ownership of the above was procured which has been found in the name of one Mohd Yunus Khan resident of A-439 Nehru Camp Govindpuri Delhi, who is being interrogated so as to nab the offender driver," read the official statement.

Earlier, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal said that a notice has been issued to Uber India and Delhi Police over the incident of molestation of a female journalist in an Uber auto in Delhi.

On Thursday, Swati Maliwal in a tweet said, "Notice has been issued to Uber India and Delhi Police over the unfortunate incident of molestation of a female journalist in an Uber Auto in Delhi. Information has also been sought about the steps taken by Uber for the safety of women."

While talking to ANI, the victim woman said, "I was going to my friend's place in Malviya Nagar and I got into an auto from NFC. I booked the auto via Uber. I was alone in the auto. Since I was listening to music, initially I did not understand what was happening. After some time I realised that the auto driver was staring at me in the left side mirror. My breasts were visible in the mirror and he was looking at me. I became uncomfortable and shifted towards my right. However, he changed his position and started looking at me in the right-side mirror."

"After this, I moved to the extreme left corner so that I am not visible to him but he turned back and started looking at me. I threatened him and said that I would complain and surprisingly he did not object. So I opened the Uber App and clicked on a number on the app. However, due to fluctuating network, I could not contact so I called on the number once again. This time as well I was unable to contact the company due to various glitches on the app," the woman added.

The woman further stated that the Delhi Woman's Commission swung into action after she tweeted about the incident.

She said, "I tweeted about the incident at night. The Delhi Woman's Commission followed up after my tweet went viral. I registered a verbal as well as a written complaint with the Commission. I came to register a police complaint after all this."

"The Delhi Police has said that they will file an FIR and I need to be present before the magistrate tomorrow," she added.

Demanding woman's security in the national capital, she said, "The incident happened with me in broad daylight. I had the option to confront as it was daytime. What if the incident happened during the night? The Uber App did not work. There should be a proper system and they should have called me back. When I raised my voice against the incident, the company contacted me.