Consider contention of mother whose daughter ended life alleging sexual harassment: SC to Telangana police

The Supreme Court has asked Telangana police to consider in its probe, contentions of the mother of a woman finance officer who ended her life allegedly due to repeated sexual harassment at her workplace at BHEL Hyderabad office.

A three-judge bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar said the petitioner should give in writing her contentions to the Investigating Officer within one week, highlighting the points urged in this petition.

"That will have to be considered and taken to its logical end by the Investigating Officer before filing the final report in the concerned court," the bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Krishna Murari, said.

The court decided to put the matter for consideration after eight weeks, awaiting the steps taken by the Investigating Officer in light of the representation to be made by the petitioner.

Advocate Alakh Alok Shrivastava, appearing for petitioner-woman said her daughter was a bright, young and intelligent finance professional, having other qualifications.

She had joined BHEL in 2009, at a young age of 23 years and served BHEL till her last breath i.e. till October 17, 2019.

"The suicide note of the deceased and her last telephonic conversation with her sister, categorically established that her own supervisor and office colleagues subjected her to extreme level of sexual, physical and mental harassment and attempted to rape her, due to which she was forced to commit suicide," the petition claimed.

The Telangana police, however, had illegally given clean chit to the accused persons, in their latest report of June 02, 2020, filed before the National Commission of Women (NCW), the petition claimed and sought a CBI enquiry into the entire case to unravel the truth.