The complaint lodged by a Kenyan woman ~ that she had allegedly been pulled out of a cab and assaulted by several men in Greater Noida yesterday morning ~ was found to be "false", the Noida police said today.
The senior superintendent of police (SSP), Noida, Dharmendra Yadav told a press conference here this morning that the Kenyan national Maria Burendi was not assaulted and that her complaint was false. He said all evidences pointed to this conclusion in the case.
Mr Yadav, however, refrained from making any comments on why Maria had lodged a "false" FIR with the Noida police yesterday and whether the police will now take any action against her.
Maria had complained that while heading to Greater Noida yesterday morning to meet her friends there her cab was stopped by some local men near Omicron in the area, who allegedly dragged her out of the cab and beat her without any reason.
The Noida police presented Pintu, the driver of the Ola cab Maria hired to reach Greater Noida from Delhi, at the press conference to corroborate their version. Pintu said there was no attack on Maria whom he had dropped at her destination in Greater Noida yesterday.
Sources in the Noida police told The Statesman that both driver and the Kenyan woman were questioned together following which the latter told them that she wanted to withdraw her complaint.
Maria had alleged that she was attacked outside the Omicron society in Greater Noida, but during investigation the police team found that a PCR van was stationed there.
Pintu told the press conference that after he dropped Maria safely to her destination her friend received her and then they went inside the society apartment.
"I waited for around 20 minutes in the area to find any other passenger and also saw police personnel there," he said.
The Noida police verified Pintu's claims. They checked the electronic evidence, including the Ola cab's GPS details and payment slip, which showed that the car had not stopped during the journey.
At the conference there were members of the Nigerian Students' Welfare Association and the Kenyan High Commission too, who also backed the Noida police's version in the Maria case.
An Association representative Charles Kennedy said the Kenyan woman was under distress over her personal issues due to which she "fabricated" the incident.
A Kenyan High Commission official, Frederick, said they were "satisfied" with the police investigation into Maria's complaint which she has withdrawn. He also said the police have assured them that they will not press any charges against her.
They also expressed satisfaction over the measures taken by the Noida police for the safety and security of African nationals living in the area. The police have taken various security measures in this regard following the 27 March brutal mob attack on four Nigerian students in Greater Noida.