Sub-inspector arrested for molesting four women and minor in Delhi’s Dwarka, say police
The police have filed four separate FIRs against him, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
The police in Delhi on Monday said that a 35-year-old sub-inspector, posted with the Special Cell, was arrested for molesting four women and a minor in Dwarka between October 17 and October 20, PTI reported.
Sub-inspector Puneet Grewal, a resident of Janakpuri area, was arrested on Saturday and is in judicial custody. The police said one of the women has refused to register a complaint, but four separate first information reports under Sections 354 (molestation), 354-D (stalking) and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act have been filed against the police officer, according to The Indian Express.
“The arrest was made on Saturday evening after police found concrete evidence against him,” a senior police officer told the newspaper. “He was produced before a Delhi court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. We will now move an application in court on Monday for a test identification parade, and are also going to record statements of all victims under Code of Criminal Procedure Section 164. We have also written to his seniors, asking them to dismiss him from service.”
The matter came to light after one of the women posted a video on social media on October 17, saying that a man driving a grey-coloured vehicle harassed her while she was cycling in Dwarka.
“While cycling, I noticed a small, grey car which had its rear glass broken,” the woman is heard saying in the video. “After some time, I noticed that the car was being driven beside me. I didn’t look at him. He honked at me. I gestured him to move ahead. He didn’t move ahead and chased me.”
The woman added that the man inside the car asked her for directions to Sector 14 in Dwarka. “Before I could reply, he unzipped his pants and started touching his private parts,” she said. “I shouted at him...and noticed there was nobody around me. He started saying nasty things and I didn’t know whether to leave or record the incident on my phone.”
She also accused the man of constantly abusing her and saying sexually explicit things.
“I was near the DDA sports complex by then. I raised an alarm and was trying to cycle faster to get near people. A few locals heard me, and the man rolled up his window and started speeding. Locals tried to go after him but he fled. There was no number plate on the car. I was panicking and someone gave me water. I called 1091 at 9.30 am after telling my parents. I got a call from the PCR team. An officer told me it would be difficult to identify the accused as there was no number plate and the man can get the windshield fixed.”
— One of the women complainants
A police officer said that while investigating the woman’s complaint, the police found four more women who alleged they were molested by him on the same stretch.
To catch the accused, the police had scanned footage from over 200 CCTVs in the area. “Police then scanned other cameras and found where he lives,” the officer said. “They reached his home and found the car parked inside...It was registered in his wife’s name, who is a teacher. He also has a daughter.”