Uber driver, who forcibly tried to kiss passenger, arrested in Gurgaon

The Gurgaon police on Tuesday arrested a driver of the cab service provider Uber, who was accused of molesting a female passenger.

A complaint was received by the police over email around 8 pm on Monday regarding the incident, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk said. A first information report was lodged in the case under section 354 A (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code against 40-year-old Vinod, Virk said.

The cab service provider landed in a fresh controversy after the woman accused Vinod of forcing himself upon her, "trying to kiss and molest her" during a ride to Gurgaon on Sunday.

The police then immediately took up an investigation and Uber officials were requested to provide relevant information about the trip and the driver.

The police contacted the woman and a senior lady police officer was assigned to speak with her and ascertain the exact sequence of events, he said.

The accused cab driver was questioned at the police station following which he was arrested, the commissioner said.

Earlier, the woman had registered her complaint over phone to an Uber representative following the incident. In response to her complaint, the Uber representative had said, "We have a zero tolerance policy for this behaviour and I assure you that our team is following up with Vinod (cab driver) appropriately and immediately."

However, the woman's brother alleged inaction even after registering the complaint and demanded punishment for the culprit.

"Even after registering a complaint with you (Uber) there has been no action, no update from your end," he had said.

In reply to the charge, Uber said, "Our team immediately reached out to the rider (victim) via phone within minutes of receiving the feedback. Multiple members of the Uber team have spoken with the driver to ascertain the sequence of events."  

This is the second incident of crimes against women involving drivers of the cab service providing company. In December last year, 27-year-old financial consultant was allegedly raped by a cab driver working in partnership with Uber.