A Navi Mumbai cab driver has been booked after a woman alleged that he stopped the vehicle at an isolated location during a late-night ride and attempted to molest her, police said. The incident reportedly took place around 1.30 a.m. on Sunday, September 6, as the woman was returning home from a party in Chembur.
According to the report, the woman had hired a cab after the party. During the journey, the driver allegedly stopped the vehicle by the roadside on the pretext of drinking water. He reportedly stepped out briefly before returning and sitting beside the woman in the back seat.
The woman told police that she asked the driver to return to the front and continue driving. She alleged that he then held her hand and tried to forcibly remove her clothes. The woman resisted, following which the driver allegedly fled from the spot, according to the report.
After the incident, the woman contacted her family and approached the police. A first information report was registered on the basis of her statement. The report identifies the accused as Mohammed Afzal Sheikh and says police teams have been formed to trace him.
Police said the case was being investigated by the Navi Mumbai Airport Police. The report also refers to the woman approaching Panvel police to lodge her complaint. The precise jurisdictional handling of the case was not otherwise detailed in the material available for this report.
“Considering the seriousness of the case, several teams have been deployed to trace the accused. The accused is being searched for with the help of technical information and human intelligence. Appropriate legal action will be taken against him,” police were quoted as saying.
The allegations have not been tested in court. The investigation and the police search for the accused are continuing.
