Mahesh Murthy case: Police want more victims to come forward

In 2017, several women had raised allegations of sexual harassment against Murthy. The police said the Delhi-based complainant had never met Murthy in person.  (Photo Courtesy: Mahesh Murthy’s Twitter account)

A day after his arrest, the Mumbai Police team investigating allegations of sexual harassment against leading angel investor Mahesh Murthy on Saturday said they were expecting more victims to come forward. After his arrest on Friday, Murthy, who had obtained anticipatory bail in the case, was later released after completion of “some paperwork”. Murthy, the managing partner of Seedfund, was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing several women on social media platforms, including WhatsApp.

“Till date, we have only one case registered at the Khar police station by one complainant,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Paramjit Singh Dahiya (Zone IX). The police said they had seized Murthy’s mobile phone. “We have seized his mobile phone and perusing his chats on WhatsApp. In order to strengthen the case, we need more victims. We approached some of them. While a few have stepped forward, no other statement has been recorded so far,” said a police officer.

In 2017, several women had raised allegations of sexual harassment against Murthy. The police said the Delhi-based complainant had never met Murthy in person. In her complaint, she has said he used objectionable, derogatory, sexual remarks and obscene symbols. The Khar police registered a case on December 30 last year after a complaint was forwarded to them by the Maharashtra DGP. The 32-year-old complainant had approached the National Commission for Women (NCW) after sharing screenshots online.

Murthy has filed a case of defamation against the complainant in the Delhi High Court. Murthy has been booked under sections 354 (D) (stalking) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC along with sections 67 (A) of the IT Act.