Mumbai: City police have detained the driver of an aggregator cab for re-rerouting his vehicle, stopping it, and allowing two men to step inside who went on to sexually harass a 28-year-old passenger, a female pilot, on Thursday. A hunt is on for the other two accused.The woman hired the cab in Fort on Thursday night to head to her residence in an eastern suburb when midway, two unidentified men got into the cab. While one of them touched her inappropriately, the other threatened her when she screamed in fear.The crime took place between 11pm and 11.50pm. “We have detained the driver and the investigation is on,” said a police officer.The complainant, who works with a private airline as a pilot, told the police her husband works in the defence establishment. She stated in the FIR her husband has not yet got family quarters, so currently, they are living in separate homes.She told the police she came to CSMT station to meet her husband on Thursday evening. Her husband booked an aggregator cab at 10.45pm for her from the Fort area. After some time, she got into the vehicle and started towards her residence. “After travelling for about 25 minutes, the driver suddenly changed the route, stopped the vehicle on the other side, and made two unknown men sit in the vehicle. One of them sat in the front seat, and the other sat next to me in the rear seat. Both were aged between 25 and 30 years,” the complainant stated in the FIR.She further said in the FIR the man sitting next to her suddenly grabbed her right hand and twisted it backwards. As she screamed in fear, the other man sitting in front of her threatened her to be quiet. Then the man moved his hand over her thigh. At that time, the driver was driving and did not react.She stated there was police nakabandi on the road and the driver slowed down the car. At that time, both the men got out of the car and fled. She added since she did not travel much in Mumbai, she had no idea where the place was. Also, as raindrops were on the glass of the cab, she could not see anything outside. After that, the cab driver took her to her address.She then asked the driver who those men were and why he took them in the car. The driver remained silent and did not give any reply, she said in the FIR. The woman added she was in a state of panic, paid the fare of Rs 530, and he left.The next day, the complainant and her husband went to the police station and lodged an FIR against the driver and the two men who got into the car.The police booked the accused under sections 75(1) (sexual harassment), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3 (5) (when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone) of the BNS.
