Karnataka: Ola driver takes detour, molests woman passenger in Bengaluru

The woman architect had a traumatic experience enroute to the airport after her Ola cab driver took a detour, held her hostage and forced her to strip for photos.

Meanwhile, Ola released a statement saying "We regret the unfortunate experience the customer had. We've zero tolerance for such incidents and driver's been blacklisted. Safety of customers our top priority. We're extending full support to police in probe."

An Ola cab driver has been arrested on charges of molesting a 26-year-old woman architect on her way to the airport in the early hours of Friday, June 1 in Bengaluru.

An Ola spokesperson also added, "The driver-partner in question holds a valid police verification check that confirms no criminal cases have been recorded against him. This is a mandatory process for all driver-partners who operate on our platform."

The woman said in her complaint that she had booked the Ola cab at around 2 am. Once on the road, she found that the driver had taken a different route. When she enquired, he claimed it would be faster and free of toll. Near the airport, when she found that he had taken a secluded road and asked him to turn around. But the driver stopped the car, locked the doors and molested her.

When she put up a fight, he threatened to call a group of men and get her raped. He also snatched her phone and threatened to kill her if she screamed for help, the woman said in her complaint.

Upon reaching Mumbai, the girl emailed her complaint to Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar, who immediately ordered that an FIR be registered against Arun.

The survivor had sent her statement along with details of the cab and driver. The Jeevan Bhima Nagar Police have registered an FIR based on the emailed complaint under sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354(B) (intent to disrobe), 354(C) (voyeurism), 387 (putting a person in fear of death) ,307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and also 66(E) (publishing material which violates privacy) of the IT Act.