Mumbai: Top marketing official of financial firm booked for sexual harassment, stalking on former colleague's complaint

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The chief marketing officer of a top financial firm was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexual harassing and stalking a colleague who was later sacked, a Mumbai police official said.

The 43-year-old woman, who was in a senior position in the marketing department, filed a complaint with NM Joshi Marg in the central part of the metropolis in the evening, he said.

“The woman has said the incidents took place between June 2013 and June 2020 when she worked at the firm’s headquarters in One Indiabulls in Lower Parel. As per the victim, the 58-year-old accused CMO sexually harassed her by calling her in his cabin and also by sending WhatsApp and text messages,” the official said.

“The accused touched the victim inappropriately with hand and leg, made gestures intended to outrage her modesty, and demanded sexual favours, as per the complainant. On refusing to comply with such demands, the accused threatened to sack her,” the official said.

On April 12, 2017, she had approached a top official of the company’s HR department and had submitted a written complain about her ordeal, following which she was called to the Worli office of an executive higher in the HR hierarchy where she once again submitted a complaint.

As per the woman’s complaint, a committee was formed to look into the issue but it gave a clean chit to the accused on January 27, 2020, the police official said.

The woman was then sacked from her job on June 19, 2020, he added.

A case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 354 (whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation ) and section 67A of IT Act (Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc.).

A probe is underway and no arrest has been made so far, the official said.