Sexual harassment case at Goa Cable News Channel takes a 'Tehelka' turn Today's development in the sexual harassment case involving a top anchor of a popular local cable news channel, somewhat puts the episode alongside the Tarun Tejpal incident of a couple of years ago.
Like Tejpal allegedly confessed to his colleague (in the former Tehelka editor's case, it was in writing*) and apologised for his alleged misdemeaour, the top anchor, also a senior print media journalist, on Saturday, tendered an apology to the management vis a vis sending sexually explicit messages to the victim, a woman employee at the news channel. The apology was tendered to the members of the management and a senior editorial staffer and not to the victim, who has had to quit her job, after complaining about the sexual harassment by the top anchor earlier this week. And in what appears to be a sham of a procedure conducted by the channel's management, the top anchor was let off with a 'final warning' against such committing such sexual advances in the future. Several aspects emerge from today's development. 1) The apology tendered by the anchor, virtually confirms the guilt and validates the complaint of the victim. 2) In Tejpal's case, the former editor in chief's allegedly 'confessional note' -- in writing -- to the victim and his management colleague, is believed to have paved way for his arrest. Back then the Goa Police acted with rare alacrity and suo moto conducted a preliminary enquiry based on media reports. A First Information Report subsequently followed. His was a case of alleged sexual assault, rape. In this express case, the only evidence which is currently in possession of the channel's management for now, are the sexually explicit messages sent by the top anchor to the victim. And the apology has been tendered to the management and not to the victim. 3) It is also clear that the channel's management did not abide by the Vishakha guidelines, prescribed by the Supreme Court, while dealing with sexual harassment cases at work place. The management according to the Vishakha guidelines, has no power to condone or accept apologies because it has no authority to arbitrate such cases. So by asking the top anchor to apologise and issuing a final warning in a case of sexual harassment, they have violated the directions of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit and can also be held accountable. 4) Like in earlier sexual harassment cases at the news channel, which also has a print wing, in this case too, the victim has quit the job given the circumstances. Sources close to her insist that she wants the job back, but there has been no move by the management to facilitate that. 5) From the manner in which the management chose to 'settle' the sexual harassment episode, it appears that it is 'case closed' from their end, citing, what they claim is lack of a formal complaint by the victim. The news channel's management has refused to acknowledge the explicit messages as a complaint by itself. So guys, what do you think this ought to be the end of the story here? ends * http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/the-complete-email-trail-of-the-tarun-tejpal-sexual-assault-case-653191.html http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/the-complete-email-trail-of-the-tarun-tejpal-sexual-assault-case-653191.html