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HC directs Ola to pay ₹5 lakh to woman harassed by driver in 2018
The Karnataka high court has ordered ANI Technologies, the parent company of Ola Cabs, to pay ₹5 lakh to a woman who was allegedly sexually harassed by an Ola driver in 2018
The Karnataka high court has ordered ANI Technologies, the parent company of Ola Cabs, to pay ₹5 lakh to a woman who was allegedly sexually harassed by an Ola driver in 2018.
The court, led by justice MGS Kamal, also instructed the company’s internal complaints committee (ICC) to initiate a thorough inquiry into her allegations, adhering to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
In its order on Monday, the court asked the ICC to complete its investigation within 90 days and present the findings to the district officer. Justice Kamal noted that the petitioner, who relied on Ola’s assurances of safety, faced distressing and unsafe conditions during her ride, thus justifying the compensation for her trauma.
In addition to the compensation, ANI Technologies is required to pay ₹50,000 to cover the woman’s litigation costs. The court also directed the additional commissioner for transport department and the secretary of the Karnataka state transport authority to personally pay ₹1 lakh to the Karnataka legal service authority.
The case dates to August 2018, when she alleged that the driver engaged in an inappropriate behaviour, including staring at her through the rear-view mirror and displaying pornographic material on his mobile device. She further said that the driver was masturbating during the ride and refused to halt the vehicle before reaching her destination.
Ola initially informed the woman that the driver had been blacklisted and would undergo counselling. She filed a formal police complaint as she was dissatisfied with the company’s lack of further action
“The petitioner who opted OLA ride acting upon the promise and assurance of safety and protection offered by OLA having withstood this dangerously treacherous moments sought to register her complaint and intervention of ICC only in furtherance to her fundamental, statutory and contractual rights,” the court said.
In its defence, Ola argued that cab drivers are not classified as employees and thus do not fall under the provisions of the POSH Act. Nonetheless, the high court countered this argument, affirming that the ICC has a “statutory obligation” to investigate sexual harassment complaints lodged by passengers.
