CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has ordered an inquiry over alleged sexual harassment by a senior planner in the authority, towards a junior woman colleague, that caused her to resign from the organisation.
The probe was ordered after certain portions of the purported texts between the senior planner and the former woman staff, were circulated on social media. The conversations suggest that he had sought sexual favours from the woman, by promising career and monetary benefits.
The transcript, which has been doing the rounds in social media, has been brought to the notice of top officials and it is learnt from CMDA sources that an enquiry has been ordered into the entire episode. It is also learnt that she resigned from the job after the incident and officials are trying to contact her. However, she has changed her mobile number.
“In the Whatsapp message which contains the transcript, it has only ‘SP Sir CMDA’ written. There is no phone number of senior planner. Hence, the girl’s testimony is important,” a senior CMDA official said.
As per the transcripts doing the rounds, the senior planner lures the female employee, “Enjoyments will be in secret with special gift chances available dear.”
“Of you are missing that chance means you will become wasting your lifetime best wishes of chances coming soon on the way dear,” (sic) the planner in broken English pings the employee.
At one stage when the woman says she is already engaged, the senior planner continues with his proposal. In the end, when the employee couldn’t take it anymore, she asks him to tell in Tamil what he wants. To which he retorts, “Nee Vendum Ennaku Ragasiama Sol dear.” (I want you, tell it secretly.) She had replied with a ‘No’. It is learnt that the woman, who was recruited through ELCOT for CMDA, resigned from the organisation soon after this episode. After top officials came to know about the transcripts, they are keen on taking stringent action against the official and have asked officials to gather details about the incident.
Sources indicated that it is not the lone case. Another woman has also allegedly resigned after being harassed by the same individual.
Four-year-old’S body found in bathroom
Chennai: A four-year-old girl was murdered on Thursday and the body was found in a gunny bag in the house bathroom on the city’s outskirts. Police have detained a neighbour, an ex-serviceman, in connection with the incident. Police suspect the victim to have been sexually assaulted and murdered elsewhere and the body dumped in her own house. They said the victim’s father works in a private company and was at office when the incident occurred. “The victim’s mother had gone to drop her elder son, at the tuition centre, leaving her daughter alone at home. She returned and found her daughter missing. She alerted neighbours,” said a police officer. The mother filed a police complaint and returned home only to find the girl’s body in a gunny bag in the house bathroom, the officer said.