The Noida police have arrested a woman who lives in a posh locality for allegedly assaulting and keeping her domestic worker hostage for almost two months. A video of the accused, Shefali Koul, has gone viral, in which she can be seen thrashing her 20-year-old household help and preventing her from escaping.
The household help she refused to continue to work for Koul after her contract ended in October. Enraged at her refusal, the 40-year-old Koul thrashed her and even held her hostage for two months.
Noida cops on Thursday said, "Shefali Koul, who lives in the Cleo County society in Sector 121, was arrested on Wednesday evening from her residence."
According to the police, Koul was initially charged with violating Indian Penal Code sections 344 (illegal confinement beyond 10 days), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 504 (insult).
“Now, charges under IPC 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been added in the case,” an official of the local Phase 3 police station told PTI.
Prior to her arrest, Koul had claimed that she did not mistreat her help nor did she keep her at home against her will.
According to the victim's father, who lodged a complaint with the police, his daughter had a six-month contract with Koul, which ended on October 31.
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“After the contract ended, my daughter wanted to leave the place. But Koul did not allow her. She kept my daughter hostage at her home where she assaulted her and hurled abuses at her,” he alleged.
The victim, identified as Anita, said the members of the Koul family at Noida's Cleo County beat her and even threatened to kill her just for eating some jaggery.
On Monday, the victim even tried to escape from Koul's fourth-floor apartment by using a 'dupatta' as a rope, but someone informed the police, prompting a team of the 112 emergency service to reach the society, he said.
“My daughter was then brought to the local police station,” he added. He demanded strict legal action against Koul.
(With PTI Inputs)