Delhi: One arrested after DCW chief Swati Maliwal allegedly dragged for 10-15 meters by intoxicated driver

Following Maliwal's complaint, the accused, identified as a resident of South Delhi's Sangam Vihar area, was arrested on Thursday.

New Delhi:One person was arrested on Thursday after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal alleged the former had dragged her behind his car for 10-15 meters after her hand got stuck in the car window when she approached him to seek an explanation for 'indecent gestures'. The incident took place opposite the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at around 2:45 am when she was at the spot with her team, Maliwal said in a police complaint.

The arrested person was later identified as one Harish Chandra, resident of Sangam Vihar in South Delhi. He stopped his vehicle outside AIIMS gate number 2, and gestured Maliwal to step in, the DCW chief stated in a police complaint, noting that upon her refusal, he went some distance before turning back and doing the same thing again.

This time, Maliwal said, she approached the vehicle from the driver's side window to reprimand the man but he quickly rolled up the glass pane, trapping her hand in it, and then drove on for 10-15 meters. Delhi Police officials said they discovered her at around 3:05 am on the pavement opposite AIIMS and asked her if she was in distress when she revealed the incident.

A case was subsequently registered under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act based on the complaint lodged by the DCW chief.

"Late last night I was inspecting the situation of women's security in Delhi. A car driver molested me in an inebriated condition and when I caught hold of him, he locked my hand in the car window and dragged me. God has saved my life. If the Chairperson of the Women's Commission is not safe in Delhi, then imagine the situation" she said in a tweet in Hindi.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women also said that it had taken cognizance of the matter, adding that Delhi Police had been directed to submit a report into the matter and take action against the accused. "Shocking incident. NCW is seeking report from Delhi Police and writing for strict action against the perpetrator" NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said in a tweet.