A Dehradun judge accused a Rapido driver of demanding extra fare, threatening her and diverting into a deserted lane. Police registered an FIR under five BNS sections, renewing attention on women's safety in the city.The judge stated that the driver demanded twice the agreed fare, citing the distance of around nine kilometres. (Representative Image)Dehradun,Oct 23, 2026 09:20 ISTA woman judge in Dehradun has accused a Rapido cab driver of demanding double the agreed fare, threatening her and taking her into a dark, deserted lane during a ride.
The complaint has raised fresh concerns over women's safety in the Uttarakhand capital.An FIR has been registered against the driver at Dalanwala police station under five sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, following a complaint by Anjali Benjwal, the Fifth Additional District and Sessions Judge in Dehradun.According to the complaint, the incident took place on October 21, 2026, when Benjwal booked a Rapido ride from her residence at Judges' Colony on Balbir Road to Saura Saroli, near Maldevta. The driver accepted the booking and began the journey in a vehicle bearing registration number UK 07 TB 7073.JUDGE CLAIMS DRIVER DEMANDED DOUBLE FAREThe complaint states that the driver demanded twice the agreed fare, citing the distance of around nine kilometres.
Benjwal refused to pay more than the amount displayed on the app. Following the disagreement, the driver allegedly took her away from the main road and into a dark, deserted lane that ended in a dead end.
Suspecting that something was wrong, the judge called her court orderly, Ravindra, and informed him about the situation.The driver allegedly threatened to teach her a lesson and claimed to have good connections with the police, according to the complaint. Benjwal also contacted Rapido to report the demand for additional payment and the alleged threats.
She further alleged that the driver pressured her to cancel the ride. After realising that the lane had no exit, he turned the vehicle around and returned to the gate of Judges' Colony, where he cancelled the ride.DRIVER THREATENED COLONY GUARDThe complaint also states that a security guard at the colony, identified as Thapliyal, questioned the driver about his conduct.
The driver allegedly threatened the guard, leading to an altercation that drew other residents to the spot.When people questioned the driver about taking the woman into a deserted lane, he reportedly said that she should have guided him about the route.The judge alleged that the driver continued creating a disturbance for around 30 minutes. Following information provided by her court orderly, police personnel from Dalanwala police station reached the spot and took the driver to the police station.In her complaint, Benjwal said the driver's conduct had left her concerned about her safety and sought appropriate action against him.FIVE SECTIONS INVOKED IN FIRThe FIR invokes Sections 115(2), 127(2), 308(3), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.These provisions concern voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful confinement, preparation for extortion, criminal intimidation and intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace, respectively.The case has brought the issue of women's safety in Dehradun back into focus.
The allegations are based on the judge's complaint, and the investigation will establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.- Ends