A Goregaon resident took to social media on Saturday night alleging that an Ola Cabs driver stopped the car to buy alcohol, demanded cash from him though the payment was done digitally, and then drove rashly to a secluded spot after abruptly ending the ride.
Alok Sharma, director and founder of a graphic novel brand, has not filed a police complaint against the driver, Ketan Surve, yet. But he had tagged the Mumbai Police on social media and they have responded to him.
An Ola Cabs spokesperson said the driver has been suspended from the platform until further investigation.
According to Mr. Sharma, the incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Saturday. His fiancée had booked him a ride home from Navi Mumbai. “The driver was stopping many times and at one point, he stopped to buy alcohol. I told him it was fine as far as he did not consume it during the ride,” said Mr. Sharma, adding that thereafter the driver began asking for cash from him.
“I told him the payment had already been made. He insisted I take back the payment and give him in cash. When I refused to do so, he ended the ride somewhere near Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari and began driving rashly on the Western Express Highway,” he said.
Mr. Surve drove him off the highway and stopped the car at a secluded spot between Jogeshwari and Goregaon. “I told him I would call the police, but that did not help. He suddenly took out something wrapped in black cloth from under his seat and walked towards a house. It seemed like a metal stick,” Mr. Sharma said.
Mr. Sharma got out of the car and ran towards the highway when he saw the driver approaching. “I took an autorickshaw home.”
He said if Ola Cabs fails to act against the driver, he will pursue a police case. “Ola has been trying to reach the driver, but his phone has been switched off,” he said.