The Delhi Police have chargesheeted four Delhi University students in a case of allegedly misbehaving and stalking Union Minister Smriti Irani in 2017, the police said on Tuesday.
The investigating agency filed the charge sheet in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria at the Patiala House courts under Sections 354 D (stalking), 509 (uttering any word or making any gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 185 (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drug) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The Magistrate took cognisance of the matter and summoned all the accused — Sitanshu Singh, Karan, Avinash and Amit on October 15.
Accused on bail
“I take cognisance of the offence as mentioned in the charge sheet. Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the cases, there is sufficient material on record to issue summons against the accused,’’ the Magistrate said.
All the accused are on bail. They were students of Motilal Nehru College and stayed in a PG accommodation in Vasant village.
The Minister, in her complaint, alleged that the four accused persons in a taxi had obstructed her vehicle when she was returning to her residence from the Indira Gandhi International Airport. They gesticulated to her in a lewd fashion and tried to bring their vehicle as close as possible to hers, Ms. Irani alleged.
They did not stop their alleged criminal activities even after the Minister’s driver switched on the hooter and beacon light on the vehicle. Following this, the Minister dialled 100 to report the matter.
A police vehicle parked in front of the American Embassy in Chanakyapuri saw her seeking help.
They intercepted the vehicle in which the alleged accused were travelling and arrested them, Ms. Irani said in her complaint.
The police had then said that the medical examination of the accused, aged between 18 and 21 years, had confirmed the presence of alcohol in their blood. However, the accused persons had then said that there was nothing objectionable in their action as they were unaware that the Minister was travelling in the other car. They were playing loud music because they were making a video to post on Instagram.
