Ex-deputy mayor accused of misbehaving with woman employee barred from Pune Municipal Corporation premises

An allegation of misbehaviour with a woman employee of the Pune Municipal Corporation has caused a stir in the civic body. It is alleged that a former deputy mayor held the woman employee's hand and behaved indecently with her. The woman submitted a complaint to the Vishakha Committee, after which the administration barred the former office-bearer from entering the corporation premises until further orders.

According to information from the civic administration, the alleged incident took place on the day of a Standing Committee meeting. Most officials and employees of the department concerned were busy with work related to the meeting. In the afternoon, some employees had stepped out of the office. The former deputy mayor then came to the office. It is alleged that, taking advantage of the thin staff, he held the hand of the woman employee working there and behaved indecently. The complaint also states that when the woman objected, she was abused.

The frightened employee left the office and narrated the entire incident to senior officials. The officials assured her of help in filing a complaint and of appropriate action. The woman then submitted a written complaint to the corporation's Vishakha Committee. Adv. Nisha Chavan, the committee's chairperson and legal adviser, confirmed that the complaint had been received. She said appropriate action would be taken as per the rules.

Rakesh Vitkar, the corporation's security officer, said the person concerned has been barred from entering the corporation premises until further orders so that no pressure is brought on the complainant and there is no scope for tampering with evidence. He added that necessary precautions would be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur.

The matter is the subject of intense discussion among corporation employees. The question is also being raised about how effective the administration's role is in ensuring the safety of women employees in offices and in taking impartial action on such complaints.