Ola Cabs / Ani Technologies — Non-consensual Video Recording & Public Harassment of Female Passengers by OLA Driver

I am writing to inform you regarding the unlawful behaviour of Ola cab driver by the name of Surjakanta Sardar, driving car with license plate number WB11C7105, around 4.30 pm on 26 September 2023, near the Oberoi Grand Hotel, Kolkata.

Me and my mother boarded the cab from Saltlake and informed him of our drop location (Simpark Mall). He did not object to this drop location at the time and just told us that we must pay him through UPI or cash after the trip, and not through the Ola platform. When we were nearing New Market, close to our destination Simpark Mall, he started speaking very rudely to my mother saying he will not be dropping up at Simpark Mall (our drop location), as it will be difficult for him to navigate. He even said, in Bengali, "are you going to drive the car out if I get stuck", which was rude and unnecessary. When we deboarded, I paid through the Ola app (as the attached invoice and screenshot will show) and proceeded. But he stopped us saying we had outstanding charges. When I asked him to tell me why I am being charged extra, he started saying he did not need to tell me what the charge was for and started recording me without my consent. He intimidated us with making a video recording by accusing me of going away without paying my dues. This was a lie as I was already making the transaction via UPI. Yet he chose to publicly harass two female passengers. He came dangerously close to me and my mother, and kept recording us without our consent and based on a false allegation. At this point, I was left with no other choice but to switch on my phone camera and record him taking our picture/video, in order to secure proof of his intimidation and harassment. He made me pay extra through UPI (which ola has refunded since then).

I am attaching video proof of the driver recording us. This untoward incident has left me and my aged mother feeling shaken up, humiliated and harassed. I am scared of the driver using my video footage in unlawful and malicious manner.

I hereby request you to take action against this driver and redress the situation by procuring and destroying this non-consensually recorded video footage.