The Delhi Police on Thursday claimed they have apprehended a person in connection with an allegation of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal of being “molested” and “dragged by a car” for several meters opposite All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the National Capital in the early hours of this morning.

Claiming that she was molested by a drunk man, Maliwal questioned the government over the ‘safety of women’ in the National Capital.

Advertisement

Taking to Twitter, the DCW chief said that a car driver molested her in a drunken state and dragged her by his vehicle. “Late last night I was inspecting the situation of women’s security in Delhi. A driver of a car molested me in a drunken state and when I caught hold of him, he locked my hand in the mirror of the car and dragged me. God saved my life. If the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission is not safe in Delhi, then imagine the situation,” Maliwal said in a tweet.

Earlier, DCP South Chandan Chowdhary said according to Maliwal, she was with her team outside the AIIMS here at around 2:45 am when the arrested person later identified as Harish Chandra hailing from city’s Sangam Vihar who appeared to be in an inebriated state approached her.

The DCW chief, in her complaint to police, alleged that the man who was driving a white-coloured car stopped his car near where she was standing and “made indecent gestures” at her. He then beckoned her to sit inside his vehicle,” claimed Maliwal.

When the DCW chief reprimanded him, the man allegedly went away only to return in a short while and repeat his actions, police said.

The DCP said she was standing with her team at Gate number 2 of the AIIMS which falls under the Kotla police station area. According to her, when she was standing on the footpath, a white-colored vehicle approached her whose driver offered her a lift and started insisting that she sit inside the car.

“When she refused again and went near the driver’s side window to reprimand him, the man rolled up the car’s glass window and her hand got stuck and she was dragged for about 10-15 metres,” the DCP said.

The police official said that a PCR call was received at around 3.12 am and a police team including ACP Hauz Khas reached the spot at around 3.20 am the accused was apprehended.

“The police took a written complaint from Maliwal and sent her and the accused for medical examination,” the DCP added.

A case was registered under the IPC in which Sections of molestation (354) were also included. Other sections include 323/341/509 IPC and 185 Motor Vehicles Act.

Further investigation into the matter was underway.