Addressing the alleged assault on a Bengaluru-based woman on March 10, by a Zomato delivery executive, the company's co-founder Deepinder Goyal said that following protocol, the executive identified as Kamaraj has been "temporarily suspended", but the company was covering his interim earnings and legal expenses.

In a tweet, Goyal said, "For the record - Kamaraj has made (approximately) 5,000 deliveries for us so far, and has a 4.75/5 star rating on our platform (which is one of the highest), and has been working with us for 26 months now. (These are facts, not opinions, or inferences)."

The Zomato co-founder said that his team was constantly is touch with the victim Hitesha Chandranee and were covering her medical expenses too.

Zomato delivery executive Kamaraj has been accused by Chandranee of physical assault. She posted a video on Instagram and Twitter with a bloody nose and alleged that the injuries were caused by the delivery executive who barged into her house. She claimed that the delivery executive allegedly attacked her as she had complained about delay in delivery of her order.

So guys this just happened to me yesterdayPls support me @zomato @zomatoin @viralbhayani77 @sagarmaheshwari @ATSBB @bbcnewsindia @narendramodi @cnnbrk @AltNews @NBCNews @itvnews @DgpKarnataka @TV9Telangana pic.twitter.com/TBso6N23k3

— Hitesha Chandranee (@HChandranee) March 10, 2021Speaking about the incident, Goyal said, "Right from the get go, our topmost priority was to get to the truth. Towards that were helping both Hitesha and Kamaraj (our delivery partner) with all the support they need, while investigation is pending."

"We are in constant touch with Hitesha, covering her medical expenses, and helping her with the proceeding. We are also in touch with Kamaraj, extending all possible support to make sure both sides of the story come to light and that due process is followed in the spirit of fairness," Goyal added.

I want to chime in about the incident that happened in Bengaluru a few days ago. @zomato pic.twitter.com/8mM9prpMsx

— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) March 12, 2021

The delivery executive, who is out on bail, has denied that he attacked the woman and reportedly claimed that the woman had hit him with a slipper.

Kamaraj told media outlet The News Minute (TNM) that he had apologised to her for the delay in delivery before she physically and verbally abused him. TNM quoted him as saying, "After I reached her apartment door, I handed her the food and I was expecting her to pay me...She asked me ‘Why are you late?’ I replied apologetically, as there were road blocks due to ongoing civic works and traffic jams as well. But she kept on insisting that the order has to be delivered within 45-50 minutes." Kamaraj said that this was the first such experience he has had in two years on the job as a delivery executive.

Kamaraj also alleged that Hitesha referred to him as a "slave" and refused to pay for the delivery or return the food. While Kamaraj decided to walk away without either, she began hitting and abusing him, he claimed.

"At this point, when she was trying to push my hand away, she accidentally hit herself with her finger ring on the nose, which led to the bleeding," Kamaraj said and explained that it is clear the cut is made by a ring, and he did not wear one.