Mangalore, June 6, 2013:
By C D Souza
The issue of alleged sexual harassment leveled by ASI Srikala against ACP T R Jagannath is becoming trickier with each passing day.
The special nine member committee convened by the Commissioner of police to look into allegations of sexual harassment, met for the first time yesterday June 5, 2013 to take up the case of alleged sexual harassment.
ACP Kavitha who was the chairperson of the meeting speaking to enarada.com said that all the nine members of the committee were present at the meeting. However, ASI Srikala who was asked to appear before the committee failed to do so and as such the committee could not hold any discussion in the matter. Jagannath was not asked to appear before the special investigation team for yesterday’s meeting. Under this background the committee has decided to meet once again on June 13, 2013.
According to reliable sources it is believed that ASI Srikala has said that she did not receive advance notice of the meeting from the committee and hence could not attend the meeting, though sources say that Srikala has personally confirmed the date of the meeting scheduled for June 5, 2-13. However, it is believed that Srikala chose not to attend the meeting of the sitting committee, fearing arrest in a cheating case. One Harish had filed a complaint of cheating (promise of doubling of investment) case against Srikala last month, after the alleged sexual harassment case came into the fore.
ACP Kavitha said “Srikala was communicated about the meeting scheduled yesterday and she has also been communicated about the next date of the meeting. We have given Srikala another opportunity to appear before the committee as in her absence we could not record her statements. We will take further action depending on the outcome of the next meeting scheduled for June 13”.
It may be recalled that Srikala had gone on long leave after filing sexual harassment case against ACP Jagannath and she has conveyed to the department over telephone that she is sick and would like to extend her leave on medical grounds. So far the department has not received any written communication with regard to her leave and it is not known how long she is on leave. ACP Kavitha said it is left for the department to verify her records of her leave on medical grounds once she submits the documents and reports for duty.
When contacted Commissioner of Police Manish Karbikar confirmed that a case of cheating has been filed in one of the stations against ASI Srikala and the department would deal with it on the merit of the case.
In another development ACP Jagannath, who has been transferred to Bangalore following the complaint of sexual harassment, joined duty yesterday. Jagannath had gone on leave for ten days after the special committee was formed to look into the sexual harassment complaint. Manish Karbikar said that so far the official order of his transfer has not been received by the department and hence Jagannath joined duty in Mangalore. The delay in the issuance of the transfer order is attributed to the ongoing assembly session.
With ASI Srikala trying to dodge the issue of appearing before the special committee and her approaching certain social service organizations to pressurize the department, it can be said that there is something more than what it meets the eye. With social organizations trying to exert pressures it remains to be seen whether an impartial enquiry will be possible by the special committee.
