Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal molested, 'dragged' by car for 10-15 meters

Delhi Police arrested a man on Thursday, in connection with an incident in which Swati Maliwal, the head of the Delhi Commission for Women, claimed that she had been molested and "dragged by a car" for a distance of several metres in front of AIIMS in the early hours of the morning.

According to Maliwal, who was interviewed by DCP South Chandan Chowdhary, she was with her team outside the AIIMS at around 2.45 am when the arrested man, who appeared to be in a drunk state, approached her. Police have identified the detained accused as Harish Chandra from Sangam.

In her police complaint, the DCW chief claimed that a white-colored car driver had stopped his vehicle close to where she was standing and had "made indecent gestures" toward her. According to Maliwal, he then motioned for her to get into his car. The man allegedly left after the DCW chief rejected him but later returned and repeated his actions, according to police.

"She was standing with her team at Gate number 2 of the AIIMS which falls under the Kotla police station area. According to her, when she was standing on the footpath, a white-colored vehicle approached her whose driver offered her a lift and started insisting that she sit inside the car," DCP said. 

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When she continued to refuse and approached the driver's side window to reprimand him, the man rolled up the glass window, trapping her hand, and dragging her for about 10-15 metres, according to DCP Chowdhary. According to a police official, a PCR call was made at around 3.12 am, and by the time a police team, including ACP Hauz Khas, arrived at the scene at 3.20 am, the suspect had been captured.

DCP further noted, "The police took a written complaint from Maliwal and sent her and the accused for medical examination". In accordance with the IPC, a case was filed that also involved molestation (section 354). Other sections include 185 Motor Vehicles Act and 323/341/509 IPC.

In the meantime, the case is being thoroughly probed by the police. Days prior to Maliwal's allegations, a 20-year-old woman named Anjali allegedly died after being dragged for a distance of several kilometres in Delhi's Kanjhawala neighbourhood.

(With inputs from ANI)