Ola driver held for molesting Belgian woman, Sushma seeks report

New Delhi: An Ola cab driver was arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody on charges of molesting a 23-year-old Belgian woman he was ferrying from Gurgaon to here.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sought a report from Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung on the case.

The driver, identified as Raj Singh, 23, from Rajasthan, has been terminated from Ola’s platform, the company said.

In her complaint, the Belgian woman said she was travelling on Saturday in the cab from Gurgaon to Delhi when she was molested by the driver, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mandeep Singh Randhawa told IANS.

The officer said the driver was arrested from Gurgaon around 3 a.m. on Sunday and booked for molestation. “We have also seized the car bearing registration number HR55 W 3346.”

Another police officer, who is part of the investigation team, told IANS that the woman hired the cab around 5.30 p.m. on Saturday from Gurgaon’s DLF area to go to Delhi to meet her friend.

“At first, the driver initially pretended he could not find the place she wanted to go and drove around, and then told her that the cab’s GPS system was not working and she should come to the front and help him with the directions.

“As she came and sat, he then snatched her mobile and deleted all her contacts so that she could not call anyone fast. After that he molested her before leaving her in Govindpuri area (in south Delhi) around 7.30 p.m.,” said the officer, citing the woman’s complaint.

“The woman then called the Police Control Room and we managed to arrest the driver with the help of technical surveillance,” the officer added.

Ola assured they will provide all help to police and the had removed the driver immediately.

“The driver has been terminated from the platform with immediate effect.

“We will share all required information with the authorities to help resolve this for the customer. We have zero tolerance for such behaviour from drivers,” the cab aggregator said in a statement.

In another communique, the Ola said: “The vehicle, the associated operator and the driver all three permanently blacklisted from Olacabs.”

Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj sought a report on the incident.

“I have asked Lt Governor Delhi for a report on the molestation of a Belgian girl by a Cab driver.

“We are committed to the safety and security of all foreign nationals in India,” she said in a series of tweets.

—IANS