Pune, June 4: A former female employee of a private insurance company in the Hinjawadi area of Pune has accused a senior official of sexual harassment. The allegations include making lewd comments, pressuring her for personal meetings, and threatening her with job termination. Based on her complaint, the Hinjawadi police are currently investigating the matter.
According to the complaint, the victim worked as a Senior Associate at the insurance company, handling tasks related to the Union Bank of India branches in Hinjawadi and Wakad. She claims that since January, the area manager, Mohammad Sadiq, has been persistently trying to establish personal contact with her, despite her obligation to report work-related matters to her team leader.
The victim alleges that on May 19, after work, she was summoned to the company’s main office in Aundh. After the meeting, while waiting for a bus to go home, the accused arrived in his car and offered her a ride under the pretext of dropping her off. According to her complaint, during the ride, he made inappropriate and suggestive remarks and kept the car parked on the roadside for an extended period. She claims that the vehicle was locked, preventing her from exiting. He allegedly threatened her not to inform anyone about the meeting, warning her of severe consequences if she did.
On May 29, the area manager asked her to accompany him under the guise of meeting a client. The woman claims they went to a dhaba on the Lonavala highway, where he made indecent comments and attempted to entice her with financial benefits. He also allegedly tried to hold her hand and suggested spending time in a secluded area in Lonavala.
Feeling uncomfortable with his behavior, the victim called a relative to inform them of the situation. This information eventually reached other company officials. The complainant asserts that upon learning of the incident, the accused immediately returned her to Pune, threatening to ruin her job and career if she disclosed anything.
According to the victim, she informed the company management about the entire episode the next day with her family, but no concrete action was taken. Subsequently, she filed a formal complaint at the Hinjawadi police station.
The victim stated that initially, company representatives suggested that if she engaged in a physical relationship with her supervisor, they would assist her in getting a job in Dubai. From the very first day, a Muslim woman named Shahina Rafiq allegedly harassed her, suggesting that her salary at Wipro was inadequate and encouraging her to pursue a relationship with Ram Kumar to secure a better financial future.
The victim reported enduring sexual harassment, mental torture, and pressure for ten months. She described attempts to trap Hindu women and force them to comply with demands or resign. She believes this was a covert method of religious conversion. After her complaint, she felt the company attempted to suppress the issue. Even after losing her job, she raised the matter again, questioning the reasons for her termination and asserting that it was unjust if it was due to her opposition to harassment.
In this case, the woman has demanded legal action against the accused official under sections 74, 75, 78, and 351(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Police officials have stated that an investigation is underway based on the complaint, and further legal action will be taken after verifying the facts. They assured that all aspects of the case will be investigated fairly, and conclusions regarding the allegations will be drawn only after the investigation is complete. Currently, there has been no official response from the accused party.
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