Bengaluru: Ola auto driver fined Rs 30,000, jailed for 4 days for slapping woman; license may be suspended
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Sep 7, 2024, 11:47 AM ISTR Muthuraj, an Ola autorickshaw driver, faces significant consequences after being arrested by Magadi Road police in Bengaluru for slapping and threatening a college student who canceled a ride. He will spend the weekend in jail and must pay at least Rs 30,000 in legal fees for bail.
Bengaluru: A moment of anger has resulted in significant consequences for R Muthuraj, an Ola autorickshaw driver based in the city. He was arrested by Magadi Road police for slapping and threatening a college student who canceled a ride. Muthuraj will spend the weekend in jail and will need to pay at least Rs 30,000 in legal expenses to secure bail. The incident, which unfolded on Wednesday, has garnered widespread attention after a video of the altercation went viral on social media.
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A woman named Niti and her friend booked two autos through the OLA app due to peak hour traffic. Niti took the first auto, while her friend canceled the second ride. The driver of the canceled auto, visibly angry about the cancellation, reportedly followed Niti and her friend, leading to a heated confrontation.
Muthuraj faces charges under Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As a resident of Chikkalasandra, he could not secure a simple station bail, as the police chose to present him in court to underscore the seriousness of his actions.
The Ola driver also now faces a minimum of four days in custody before he can consider applying for bail. Hiring an advocate and covering legal fees will likely cost him Rs 30,000 or more, according to police sources. He admitted that he lost his temper after the ride was canceled, but he could not defend his actions of verbally abusing and slapping the girl.
C Mallikarjuna, Additional Commissioner of Transport (Enforcement), said that a report on the incident has been requested from the jurisdictional RTO. He stated as quoted by Times of India, "We'll initiate action on suspending the driving licence and the permit of the driver after receiving the report."
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