Andhra lawyer's suicide -- NCW demands CBI probe

Andhra lawyer's suicide -- NCW demands CBI probe
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JULY 9: The inquiry by the National Commission for Women into the suicide of Andhra Pradesh High Court advocate Sangita Sharma has revealed that she was driven to kill herself due to sexual harassment by her senior male colleagues.

The Commission has also written to the Home Minister, demanding a CBI inquiry and is in the process of writing to Chief Justices of High Courts across the country to institute committees to look into cases of sexual harassment against women.

National Commission for Women chairperson Vibha Parthasarthy said Sangita Sharma's case is the first of its kind reported to the NCW. The 33-year-old woman was driven to commit suicide following harassment by a senior advocate Vijay Kumar and his juniors S Rekha Prasad and G Narsimha Naidu, all of whom practice at the High Court in Hyderabad.

Parthasarathy said Sangita's case highlights the trend of steadily increasing cases of sexual harrassment against women at the workplace. According to NCW member Shantha Reddy, who conducted the inquiry into the incident, Sangita committed suicide by consuming insecticide on June 15. She left behind a suicide note, letters, an affidavit and a red diary, which gives details about 17 persons whom she mentioned in her suicide note, saying they could be helpful in giving details about her case, Reddy said.

Vijay Kumar, the main accused who has been booked for abetment to suicide, is absconding. He is reported to be well-connected with politicians, including Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the inquiry report said.

The probe, which was initiated based on a report filed by the NGO Asmitha, revealed that Sangita had received an anonymous telephone call on the fateful day, after which she became disturbed. She had also got calls from unidentified people who threatened to abduct her son and parents.

``During the course of the investigation, senior (women) advocates said that there was no sexual harassment, but the juniors came forward to tell us that it did exist,' Shanta Reddy said, adding: ``This kind of harassment is seen in society, but this kind of harassment in court is not something we will digest.''

The Commission has taken a strong view of the case and has written to the Chief Minister, Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh HC and the Bar Council, asking them to suspend the practising licenses of those said to be behind Sangita's death.

Vijay Kumar, after spending four days in judicial custody, was granted bail and has not been heard from since. On June 21, the HC imposed a five-day stay on all further proceedings, including investigation and arrest of the accused. The orders were passed on a writ petition filed by S Rekha Prasad, G Narsimha Naidu, K Chidambar, V L Surendra and M Laxman, the report said.

NCW has recorded 92 cases of sexual harassment at the workplace in the current year.

Women object to lawyers' behaviour

Gulbarga: The Karnataka state committee of the All India Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane (JMS) has strongly objected to the behaviour of striking advocates for "belittling" and "ridiculing" the status of women through their actions.

JMS state committee general secretary Neela K condemned members of the district Bar Association and activists of the Hyderabad Karnataka Development Youth Action Committee for demeaning women. The advocates had, during their dharna against Public Works Minister Dharam Singh here on July 5, adorned the gates of his residence with bangles.

What has further irked the JMS is the reported decision of the Bar to send "saris and bangles" to six ministers from the district. ``These acts amount to (a) grave insult of the entire women folk and are manifestations of (the) feudal and conservative attitude towards women,'' Neela said in a statement.