American tourist alleges molestation by Delhi cab driver

A 20-year-old American woman was allegedly molested by a private cab driver in South Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) last week, in yet another incident of sexual assault involving a taxi driver.

A 20-year-old American woman was allegedly molested by a private cab driver in South Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) last week, in yet another incident of sexual assault involving a taxi driver.

The complaint came to the fore on Wednesday evening after the woman lodged a complaint at a police station in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar and requested that a Zero-FIR be filed. A Zero-FIR is a report that can be filed in any police station, irrespective of place of incident or jurisdiction. Later, it can be transferred to the police station concerned.

The Maharashtra Police contacted its Delhi counterpart to transfer the complaint to the South East Delhi Police.

Mandeep Singh Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (South East), confirmed that an American woman had filed a complaint in Maharashtra.

“We are yet to receive a copy of the complaint. An FIR will be registered at the police station concerned the moment we receive it,” he said.

Sources in Delhi Police said the woman had arrived at the IGI Airport along with a group of compatriots on July 21. She then booked a private taxi online.

Driver Devraj Chauhan picked her up from the airport and dropped her at a luxury hotel where she had booked a room, police said.

“During her four-day stay in Delhi, she used Chauhan’s services and they became friendly. In her complaint she has alleged that on July 24 night, Chauhan took liberty of their friendship and sexually exploited her. When she objected, Chauhan dropped her at the hotel and fled,” said a source.

The woman lodged a complaint with the cab company against Chauhan, and the company as well as Chauhan apologised to her. She then left for Ahmednagar without filing a complaint in Delhi, said police sources.

“On reaching Ahmednagar, the woman narrated the incident to her compatriots, who insisted that she file a police complaint. She eventually filed a complaint in Ahmednagar,” said the source.