In a swift action, the Mumbai Police arrested a 31-year-old man for allegedly molesting a 26-year-old woman aboard a moving BEST bus. The incident, which took place on April 10, came to light after the woman approached Worli Police Station on April 16 to lodge her complaint.
According to sources, the woman was travelling on BEST bus route number 167 from Prabhadevi to Kurne Chowk in Worli when the accused, standing behind her, inappropriately touched her, including her private parts. Due to personal reasons, the woman could not report the incident immediately but later approached the police.
Speaking on the matter, DCP Zone 3 Dattatray Kamble said, “As soon as the complainant informed the police, we registered an FIR and began the investigation.”
Based on her complaint, Worli Police registered a case against an unidentified person under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Simultaneously, the Mumbai Crime Branch also initiated a parallel probe.
Sources revealed that Unit 3 of the Crime Branch formed a dedicated team that scrutinised CCTV footage from various locations — including the spot where the accused boarded the bus, the location where he alighted, and his subsequent route. Police also examined the CCTV cameras installed inside the BEST bus, which clearly showed the suspect standing behind the complainant.
After identifying the accused from the footage, police further analysed CCTV visuals from around 25 different locations and traced him to a company named Great Ship in Worli. Subsequently, the accused was located, apprehended, and taken into custody. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime.
The accused, identified as Irfan Hussain Shaikh, a 31-year-old resident of Kherwadi, Bandra, was sent for a medical examination before being handed over to Worli Police Station for further legal proceedings.