Ex-RAW woman official bares herself; HC orders mental check up

"The behaviour of the petitioner (Nisha Priya Bhatia) in baring herself in the open court is highly deplorable and it gives an impression that she is not mentally sound.

"It is not a case of solitary instance but she, even in the post-lunch session, tried to indulge in the same act, which is not expected from a normal person," Justice Ajit Bharihoke said, while ordering her mental health check-up. The court, which had ordered her detention in the forenoon when the former RAW official took off her jacket and bared herself after the hearing on her case was adjourned, asked the SHO concerned to take her to the Institute of Human Behaviours and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) for a check up.

Bhatia, in her 40s, created a ruckus in the open courtroom as the judge adjourned the hearing on her petition against Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Pandey and Metropolitan Magistrate Pritam Singh.

The former official, who once headed the training cell of the Research and Analysis Wing, had filed a petition against the lower court judges alleging that they attempted to help Ashok Chaturvedi, her boss and former Secretary of RAW.

She had accused Chaturvedi of sexual harassment. She accused him of calling her into his office at odd times and passing lewd remarks, a charge denied by Chaturvedi.
During the day, a woman lawyer came to her rescue and pleaded for her release on the ground that she has to pick her daughter from a school.

Justice Bharihoke then decided to hear the matter in his chamber and remarked,"I will send her to jail. She has also created a lot of problem in the court of ACMM, I think she is a mentally-deranged woman." As Bhatia repeated her act during the in-camera proceedings as well, the court decided to send her to a mental hospital for the check up.

"Bhatia to be taken forthwith by the SHO concerned under the escort of lady constables and produce her before the medical superintendent of the IHBAS. "She will be admitted there to carry out a complete check-up, The report about her mental condition be submitted in the court before the next date of hearing that is on February 28," Justice Bharihoke said in the order.

The court, however, said "she shall be free to go back if she is not suffering from a mental disorder, which necessitates her detention in a hospital for psychiatric treatment with a view to ensure her safety and for the protection of others."

Following the court order, when she was being taken out, Bhatia broke down saying,"please help me. I have got three school-going children".

Bhatia had in August 2008 tried to commit suicide outside the Prime Minister's Office and had also been termed as mentally unstable by the Cabinet Secretariat.
She alleged that she had been framed in various criminal cases and that her services had been terminated.

After Bhatia had attempted suicide, a Cabinet Secretariat statement issued on August 19, 2008, had said that while working as a director in the Secretariat in 2007, Bhatia had lodged a complaint alleging sexual harassment by the joint secretary.

The release had said the complaint was enquired into by a committee constituted as per apex court guidelines. But Bhatia had withdrawn her complaint, it had said, adding she was given several opportunities to present her case but she refused to cooperate with the committee.

Despite this, the committee completed its probe on May 19, 2008 and found that her allegations could not be substantiated. The committee had also found that her behaviour on a number of occasions appeared to indicate a disturbed state of mind and had recommended medical counselling for her. It had further said that a number of complaints were also received from different RAW officers against Bhatia for making unauthorised communication and contact with media, indulging in insubordination and also sending objectionable and offensive SMSes to senior government officials.

"Based on examination of reports of her erratic behaviour, a senior medical officer of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (opined 'presence of a psychiatric illness' in her and advised psychiatric opinion to assess her condition," the statement had said, adding that Bhatia, however, had refused to undergo medical counselling.

As the Cabinet Secretariat ordered a probe into complaints against her and informed her of the decision on August 19, 2008, she went to the PMO and attempted suicide there. Bhatia later had also approached the Supreme Court with her complaint of sexual harassment by her superior officers, but the apex court had dismissed it saying "no merit" was found in the case.