More woes for Mahesh Murthy: Mumbai Police registers another FIR for sexual harassment

Woes for renowned marketer Mahesh Murthy seems to be escalating as one fresh FIR pertaining to sexual harassment has been filed against him by Mumbai police.

This time an anonymous author has filed FIR against Murthy which was related to a matter back to 2004.

In her complaint, the author alleged she was introduced to Murthy in 2000 during a business meeting. She told police that since he was a marketing expert, she discussed difficulties in securing advertisements.

In January 2004, she met Murthy at a coffee shop where he allegedly spoke “about his open marriage” and leaned and touched her inappropriately, reports TOI.

The FIR lodged under IPC section 354 D (stalking) and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman through verbal or visual gestures).

The report also added, the women recently came to know about other similar harassment cases against Murthy and collected herself to raise voice against him.

Earlier, National Commission of Women(NCW) in its report said that it has observed a pattern of behavior wherein Mahesh Murthy lures the young women to coffee shops or public spaces on the pretext of business meeting or promising to fund their startup projects and makes verbal and physical sexual advances and sexually coloured remarks.

Murthy has already been facing cases under sexual harassment for which he was also arrested by Mumbai police last month. However, as a procedural arrest, Murthy was later released on bail.

Murthy was booked on 29 December under Indian Penal Code (IPC) under section 67 of IT Act, section 354(D) and 509 of IPC following objectionable language used by him towards many women online.

Following the allegations, the case was registered by the Mumbai Police against the angel investor after the intervention of National Commission of Women (NCW) which received complaints against him.

So far NCW and tech media platform FactorDaily have been highlighting all the cases against Murthy, which includes a journalist and HR professional accusing Murthy of inappropriate behaviour.

Last month, four more women registered FIR against him

NCW had earlier written to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra against the angel investor. However, Murthy who has been terming himself as innocent, it will be interesting to see how law institutions react against him.