E Delhi Man Held For Sexually Harassing Woman Inside Car

A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a woman and outraging her modesty after he allegedly assaulted her inside a moving car in east Delhi’s Mandawali on Monday evening, police said on Tuesday.

A video purportedly recorded by the woman during the incident later surfaced on social media, showing her pleading with the man to let her out of the vehicle. Police said they are examining the contents of the video as part of the investigation.

A senior police officer said the woman and the accused knew each other through common friends. According to the complaint filed by the woman, the accused called her out of her house on Monday evening to go out for snacks and the two later met in his car.

“The woman alleged that the accused took away her house keys, confined her inside the car and refused to let her leave despite repeated requests,” the officer said.

Police said the accused, who was driving the vehicle at the time, allegedly touched her inappropriately, attempted to force himself on her and made lewd remarks.

“He also threatened her, abused her and prevented her from stepping out of the car,” the officer added.

According to the complaint, the woman began recording a video on her phone during the incident. In the nearly 10-minute recording, which HT has seen, she can be heard repeatedly asking the accused to let her go while the man is allegedly heard threatening her.

Police said that after an argument and repeated pleas by the woman, the accused eventually dropped her on a street in Mandawali and fled.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Rajeev Kumar said an FIR had been registered under sections 126 (wrongful restraint), 75 (sexual harassment) and 74 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the accused had been arrested.

A senior officer said the woman approached the police station later the same evening and an investigation into the incident was underway.

Jignasa Sinha is a Principal Correspondent who's writes on Delhi crime, gender and labour.