Man Arrested For Harassing Woman By Sending Her Obscene Messages

A 28-year-old man has been arrested from Tapi in Gujarat for allegedly harassing a woman by sending her obscene messages on WhatsApp, police said on Monday.

Using technical surveillance, the accused was identified as Lad Ashish, a resident of Tapi in Gujarat, where he works as a sales executive in a car firm, they said.

The matter came to light on July 3 after a complaint was received at Hauz Khas police station from a woman who alleged that a man was sending her sexually explicit messages on her Whatsapp, police said.

On her complaint, a case was registered under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code following which a probe was initiated, a police official said.

During investigation, police obtained the call detail record and customer acquisition form of the mobile number of the accused.

After analysing it, the police found that although the mobile number was switched off since May, WhatsApp was being used on that number, said Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South). 

"A notice was also sent to WhatsApp to obtain the technical details of the number following which many people were examined but it was found that the number was linked to a person named Ashish in Tapi, Gujarat, he said.

A team was sent to Gujarat and after sustained interrogation, the accused admitted to sending vulgar messages to the woman, he said.

He previously did not know the complainant but saw her name on true caller and later started harassing her, he added.

The accused was arrested and the mobile phone used to send vulgar messages was recovered from his possession, police said, adding the accused was brought to Delhi and further investigation is underway. 

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