Bangalore :KLAP Edutainment Pvt. Ltd, might have to shut down, after a staff member accused the CEO, Janardhan Gupta of sexual harassment. KLAP Edutainment Pvt. Ltd has a staff strength of 50, and is owned jointly by two persons including the offender Janardhan Gupta who is also the CEO.
According to the victim after they had lunch together, they exited the hotel by lift – at which time, the offender asked her for a kiss. When she asked him what he meant, he made a crude kissing gesture. At this point they had reached their destination and the elevator door opened and the two headed back to the office. On the way back, Gupta asked her if she was scared. He then attempted to make it look like nothing had happened and even suggested for her to move on.
The incident happened on July 30th.
She did move on and complained to the HR Department seeking to refer the complaint to the sexual harassment committee mandated by the Visaka guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court which defines sexual harassment as
a) Physical contact and advances;
b) A demand or request for sexual favors;
c) Sexually colored remarks;
d) Showing pornography;
e) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature
To her surprise, the HR department informed her that such a committee does not exist in the company and since Gupta is the Co owner of the Company, nothing much could be done. As a measure of resolution, they informed her that she would report to a different person the next day.
In the absence of such a committee, the HR department should have informed the police. Police said that “If needed, we can also book the HR staffer for trying to make light of the situation. It was the HR’s bounden duty to inform the matter to the local police after the incident came to light, but the employee failed to act. It is understood that the HR might have acted on the behest of the company’s other boss.”
Now that the police are involved and an enquiry is on, it is quite possible that the Company may have to shut down as the police are contemplating arrest of the other co-owner of the company as well as Janardhan Gupta. “The company itself may have to shutdown,” the police said.
The South East division police have started a manhunt for Gupta, who is absocding.
