Come to us if Murthy harassed you: Police

Mumbai: The Khar police has appealed to women who have allegedly suffered sexual harassment by angel investor Mahesh Murthy to come forward and speak up so as to build a strong case against him. Sources said that so far there is no concrete evidence against Murthy, who has been accused of sexually harassing a woman by sending her lewd text messages.

Police sources have said that the complaint was lodged in the first week of January this year, after the National Commission of Women (NCW) wrote to the Maharashtra DGP office. Murthy’s arrest on Friday was based upon lewd text messages he had sent to the complainant on WhatsApp. However, as soon as the complaint was registered in January, Murthy had sought anticipatory bail in the case, hence making the arrest just a ‘technical’ one. Sources in Khar police station have said that other than the lewd text messages found on the complainant’s phone, the police do not have any ‘concrete’ evidence to put him behind bars. The police has seized Murthy’s phone.

Paramjit Singh Dahiya, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 9, said, “We are trying to get a hold of more evidence. As of now, there is only one FIR registered against him at Khar police station.”

Murthy was placed under arrest on Friday under sections 354 (D) (stalking) and 509 (word, act or gesture to outrage modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code and under sections of the Information Technology Act, before he was let out.