HC sets aside NALCO probe, orders new committee

The Bombay High Court today set up a new committee to probe charges of sexual harassment made by an employee of National Aluminium Corporati...

The Bombay High Court today set up a new committee to probe charges of sexual harassment made by an employee of National Aluminium Corporation (NALCO) against CMD C. Venkatramana. Setting aside NALCO’s internal inquiry, the court asked its committee to complete the probe in four months.

Hearing a petition filed by the victim, Justices Ajit Shah and Abhay Oka directed constitution of a committee comprising professor of Tata Institute of Social Sciences Asha Vajpayee and two officers of the Central Vigilance Commission of whom one would be a woman.

On a plea by the victim’s lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, the judges restrained NALCO from transferring the victim, pending inquiry by the three-member committee. The victim had alleged that the chairman had made sexual advances to her at a five-star hotel on February 7.

The judges set aside NALCO’s internal inquiry into the matter as the in-house panel had not followed procedures. The new committee wil hold the inquiry in the city. The victim had complainted that the probe committee was biased against her and that during the inquiry, she was asked to demonstrate the alleged act of molestation committed by the accused.

Uttarakhand rain: 12 in Chamoli go missing as buildings collapse, rescue ops underway

India2 hr ago

At least 12 people have gone missing in Uttarakhand after a rainfall-triggered debris slide hit Nandnagar of Chamoli district early on Thursday, bringing down several buildings. The administration and rescue teams have reached the spot to search for the missing individuals.

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