THANE: Police have registered a case against a senior official of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for allegedly sexually harassing a 35-year-old assistant matron at a civic-run COVID-19 hospital in the city, an official said on Thursday.
The offence was registered against Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishwanath Kelkar, who is in-charge of Global Hub Covid Hospital, at Kapurbawdi police station on Wednesday evening, he said. "The victim, who worked as an assistant matron at the hospital, alleged that the accused used to pass lewd remarks at her and make sexual advances towards her. Once he also indulged in an indecent act with her. But as she did not fall prey to his attempts, she was sacked before being reinstate later, the official said.
He added that the victim said she had complained about the harassment to the municipal commissioner and other seniors officials in the TMC as well as to the police, but no action was taken against Kelkar.
On Wednesday, the state unit vice president of the BJP, Chitra Wagh, and the party's Thane city women's wing office-bearers met municipal commissioner Vipin Sharma, apprised him of the woman's allegations and demanded immediate action against the official.
Wagh also warned that if no action was taken, they would hold an agitation outside his office. They also met Thane Police Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh later and submitted a written complaint. After that, the FIR was registered against Kelkar under IPC section 354 (a) (1) (sexual harassment).
However, he has not been arrested so far, the official said. Global Hub Covid Hospital was set up by the Thane civic body during the first wave of the pandemic last year and it was virtually inaugurated by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.