‘Told to stay cool’: IT firm sexual exploitation case snowballs, ‘suspect’ HR officer gets notice

Nashik police have served a notice to an IT company’s HR officer, who is a suspect in eight sexual exploitation complaints filed by women employees.

NASHIK: The city police served a notice to the HR officer of an IT company in Nashik after she was named as a suspect in one of eight complaints registered by eight women for alleged sexual exploitation.Nashik police commissioner Sandeep Karnik said, “A notice has been served to the HR officer to explain her role in the complaint in which she has been named as a suspect.”“A team of officials was sent to Pune in search of the company’s HR officer, who allegedly failed to take action even after she was alerted about sexual harassment by one of the complainants. The police team served her the notice,” said another senior Nashik police officer.The case pertains to eight FIRs filed by women employees from an IT company that has about 300 employees in Nashik. The complainants alleged that certain colleagues sexually exploited them and hurt their religious sentiments. A ninth case was registered by a man for hurting religious sentiments.The police have already arrested six employees on the basis of the complaints.The woman complainant had sent an email to the HR officer some time back, raising the issue about alleged harassment at the workplace by the ‘team leaders’. The HR officer, instead of taking corrective measures, allegedly advised the complainant to “stay cool, as some gestures were common in MNC work culture.”Based on the complaint registered by the women and the seriousness of the offence, a special investigating team (SIT) has been formed by the commissioner of police, and it is headed by assistant commissioner of police Sandeep Mitke.CM praises action by policeMeanwhile, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged and appreciated the prompt action by the police. “The way sexual exploitation was carried out and religious sentiments were hurt at an IT firm using pressure is shocking. I would like to congratulate the police for acting swiftly and exposing the matter,” he said while interacting with reporters in Beed’s Ashti on Thursday.