Sexually harassed official alleges persecution

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, September 16

A woman official who had lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against her boss, a naib tehsildar posted at Nathusari Chopta tehsil of Sirsa, has alleged she was being persecuted by the authorities for her “audacity”.

Though the police have booked naib tehsildar Kanwal Singh Yadav for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation and his anticipatory bail has also been rejected by a local court after he was given clean chit in two subsequent inquiries, the woman, who was transferred to a Kalanwali by the Sirsa DC after she lodged the complaint, has not yet been brought back to her original place of posting despite repeated requests.

“My wife is three months pregnant with a history of two miscarriages in two years. In this condition, she has to travel nearly 100 km daily and change transport modes thrice,” alleged the woman’s husband, an engineer at a private company at Rewari.

He showed his applications to the DC supported by a medical slip issued by a gynaecologist that stated she had a problem of “threatened abortion” and she should avoid travelling.

Avnish Kalra, woman’s counsel, alleged the local authorities observed serious irregularities in dealing with her complaint.

When in June, the 28-year-old junior programmer lodged the complaint, the district authorities got the matter inquired from a committee headed by a male tehsildar and gave clean chit to Yadav.

The complainant was transferred from Nathusari Chopta to Kalanwali instead of initiating any action against the accused.

“This is gross violation of the rules regarding sexual harassment on workplace. The complaint should have been looked into by a committee headed by a woman officer,” said Kalra.

Ellenabad DSP Kuldeep Beniwal, who has the Nathusari Chopta police station under him, also absolved the naib tehsildar of the charges in his inquiry.

However, in a second inquiry by Additional SP Prateeksha Godara, clinching evidence was found against the accused, which Additional District and Sessions Judge Sangeeta Rai Sachdeva has mentioned in her order while refusing bail to Yadav.

Efforts were made to contact Deputy Commissioner Nikhil Gajraj for his comments, but he did not respond to the call.