Untold Story of a Sexually Harassed Lady Revenue Inspector under Odisha Govt.

Untold Story
of a Sexually Harassed Lady Revenue Inspector and Her  saga of Struggle to get Justice
Dear friends
This case was presented in the   Public Hearing
organised on    “Status of Alleged Rape cases and Situation of
Rape Victims in Odisha”  by Civil Society
Groups  in Bhubaneswar on  29.12.17,
as  the
victim,  a  Dalit and Govt. employee presently
serving  as Revenue Inspector under Gop
Tahasil of Puri district had refused  to
be publicly exposed  and present her
ordeal.  She has run from pillar to
post  to get justice , but in vain. Her
untold story  which  was presented 
as one of the seven cases  in the
Public Hearing is  reproduced  for reference of the readers seeking their
support  to give her justice.
The Victim   was working as Revenue Inspector in Badas
Circle under Kanas Tahasil  of Puri
district. On 23.3.16, she had gone to Kanas Tahasil for official work.  On that day, Sri Umakant Bal, senior clerk used
very slang language against   her while appraising to Tahasildar about her
presence in the office.  When she wanted
to know about the reason,  Sri Bal got
enraged  and  displayed 
very rude behaviour with casteist remarks  against her. She also gave a push on her
chest which has been recorded in CCTV camera.  She was humiliated and  on her way  
back to home,   made  a
call to Sri Sanjay Pratihari, Tahasilar, Kanas.
Tahasildar did not respond. Prior  to
this incident, Sri Bal  and Tahasildar  had misbehaved her many times and sexual
remarks  and compelling her to work  in Tahasil office  even up to 9 PM with much harassment and humiliation.
 It is to be mentioned here that since
her joining, Sri Bal had been adopting various tricks  to get closer and lure  her for sexual benefit.  He had also advised her to get closer to
Tahasildar and could take any benefits from him.  
However, after getting  humiliated 
and harassed  with sexual remarks,
 at first    she along with her mother went  to meet 
Sri Madhusudan Das , Sub-Collector, Puri 
and  filed  complaint 
against  Sri Umakant Bal  and Tahasildar.  He assured her to solve the matter within 3 days
but did not take  any steps till
6.4.2016.
On 7.4.16, the Victim personally met the
Collector, Puri and   filed Complaint   seeking
an inquiry and quick action against 
the  culprits. On 17.4.2016, she filed complaint to
Dr. Sarthak Sarangi, SP, Puri seeking an inquiry and action against
perpetrators of crime. Nothing happened. No inquiry conducted. Rather both of
them supported to  Tahasildar.
25.4.17,   she wrote a letter to  Chief Minister, Odisha appraising  him 
about  details of incident and  sexual harassment caused  to her and prayed  for action against  both Tahasildar and Head Clerk. On  same   day, he filed 
complaint to  Odisha Human Rights
Commission, National Commission for Women, New Delhi, State Commission for
Women, national Commission for Scheduled Caste and  National Human Rights Commission,  seeking an inquiry into it.
In the meantime, OHRC has closed the case on the
basis of  report produced by SP, Puri.
NHRC had issued to Human Rights Protection Cell, Cuttack, Govt. of Odisha  for inquiry. 
Though HRPC conducted an inquiry, the inquiry report has not yet been
submitted to NHRC, New Delhi.
In the meantime, she had filed RTI to get CD of
recording of CCTV Camera  which was
denied  to her. Now  she had been transferred to GOP  Tahasil, Puri and still  struggling 
to get  justice.
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482

Date-1.1.18