The Mumbai police has registered a case against angel investor Mahesh Murthy of sexual harassment after the National Commission of Women wrote to them about complaints they have been receiving from various women.
A case has been registered under section 354 (D), 509 of IPC and under section 67 of IT Act at Khar Police Station.
Earlier, based on a complaint filed by a woman in Delhi and following the National Commission of Women’s intervention, the Maharashtra Police on December 29, 2017 registered a case against Murthy.
In November 2017 the Commission had written to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra regarding usage of objectionable, derogatory, sexual remarks and obscene signs on social media by Mahesh Murthy. NCW had also, along with the letter, sent various media reports from 2017 wherein many other women had made similar complaints against Murthy. In the letter sent to the DGP, NCW also highlighted that the Commission had received a similar complaint from another woman early in 2017.
Section 354 (D) of the Indian Penal Code pertains to stalking offline and online, while Section 509 of IPC refers to any 'word, gesture or act that's intended to insult the modesty of a woman'. Section 67 of the IT act deals with 'obscene material in electronic form'.
Murthy has claimed to have posted an apology for some of his posts, but the NCW has requested for the DGP’s personal involvement to investigate the matter and take strict action as per law and procedure against the accused as such acts not only amount to outraging the modesty of women but also attract action for cyber crime.
A statement released by the NCW stated that after the the Delhi-based woman sent in her complaint in 2017, the NCW took cognisance of the matter as they had received a similar complaint in early 2017 against Murthy. The NCW stated that keeping that in mind, apart from several media reports from other women, the women's body wrote to the Director General of Police in November 2017.
