Mumbai News: SHRC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance Of Assault On Ola Driver In Ghatkopar, Slams Police Inaction

Mumbai: The 24-year-old Ola driver who was allegedly assaulted last year by an Audi car owner in the Park Site area is still struggling to live a normal life. The driver has been living an immobile life, as the assault caused a severe spinal cord injury.

SHRC Pulls Up Police Over Casual Attitude

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a published news report that highlighted the casual approach of a police officer attached to the Park Site Police Station, who allegedly remarked that the assault was merely an outcome of a “fit of anger” following an accident.

In its order, the SHRC observed that despite CCTV footage capturing the entire incident and clear evidence that an offence had occurred, the police authorities failed and neglected to take appropriate steps in the matter.

“This is nothing but a violation of the human rights of the public at large. Hence, the Commission has decided to take up this matter by way of a suo motu complaint,” the order stated.

Summons Issued To Senior Officers

The SHRC subsequently issued summons to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone VII, Mumbai, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ghatkopar Police Station, directing them to conduct a fact-finding inquiry based on the news report dated September 1, 2024.

Family Alleges Police Bias

When FPJ contacted Zainuddin Qureshi, the elder brother of the victim, Kayumddin Qureshi, a resident of Govandi, he said:

“It was a difficult case for us as common people fighting against the powerful. Immediately after the incident, we approached the police station to register an FIR against the accused, who had brutally assaulted my brother. However, when we reached the police station with all the details, the officers tried to send us back without registering an FIR. The police are never meant for the poor and needy. The officer on duty tried to pacify the situation by saying the incident was not preplanned but happened in a fit of anger. We were sent back home. It is a disgrace that the accused was not even reprimanded for his actions. We were made to wait for nearly 7–8 hours outside the police station just to register an FIR. Even then, the police invoked lenient charges against the accused, and he was granted bail immediately.”

Social Worker’s Support Kept Case Alive

“It was only when social worker Farhan Shaikh stood by us and gave us the confidence to pursue the case that we managed to move forward. The matter is being heard by the SHRC, and we hope to get justice from the system,” he added.

Audi Owner, Mother Booked After Viral CCTV Footage

The Free Press Journal was the first to report on the incident, which occurred on August 18 outside Wadhwa The Address on LBS Marg in Ghatkopar West. The police later registered an FIR against Ghatkopar residents Rishabh Bibhash Chakravorthy and Antara Ghosh, for allegedly assaulting the Ola driver.

CCTV footage, which went viral on social media, showed Chakravorthy allegedly lifting the driver and throwing him to the ground. Qureshi sustained grievous injuries to the back of his head and minor fractures to his hands and leg.

The incident began when Chakravorthy’s Audi brushed against Qureshi’s Ola car near Asalpha Metro Station in Ghatkopar. During the ensuing verbal altercation, Chakravorthy’s mother allegedly snatched the Ola car’s navigation device. In an attempt to retrieve it, Qureshi followed the Audi, and in the process, his car accidentally collided with it, leading to the assault.

Police Invoke Non-Arrestable BNS Sections

The police registered an FIR under Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 117 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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No arrests were made, as all the aforementioned sections carry punishments of less than seven years, which do not mandate immediate arrest. Instead, the police issued notices to the duo under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which recently replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).