Woman fired by e-comm firm alleges harassment

Claims services were terminated after she lodged a complaint with company

July 24, 2018 11:15 pm | Updated 11:15 pm IST

The city police are probing a sexual harassment complaint lodged by a 28-year-old woman against the regional head of a leading online e-commerce portal, in Koramangala on July 20.

The complainant was a catalogue writer with the company. She alleged harassment and also that her services were terminated when she protested and confronted the regional head whom she reported to.

The complainant initially approached the Thirumalashettyhalli police station on June 8, as her place of work fell in their jurisdiction. The police, on learning that the alleged incident happened in the company’s office at Koramangala, referred her case to the southeast police division.

She alleged that on June 4, the regional head held a conference call with 11 members of the team, including herself, and asked them to report to the Koramangala office for a one-to-one meeting. Her meeting with her boss, she alleged, took on a strange note. “The complainant said he stared at her maliciously and told her that in a corporate environment, certain compromises had to be made. When she shared her experience with other women co-workers, she learned that he had allegedly behaved in the same manner with them,” said the police.

A few women employees, along with the complainant, lodged a complaint with the company, said police sources.

However, shortly after that, the woman was allegedly fired with her regional head claiming that she was under-performing.

The Koramangala police have booked the regional head under Sections 354 (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

“We will be questioning him,” said the police.

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