A 52-year-old woman knocked at the doors of the high court, alleging that a senior employee at Johnson Controls–Hitachi Air Conditioning (India) Ltd, sexually harassed her and when she refused to give in to his demands
The High Court issued notice to the state government and officials of a Kadi-based multinational company on Wednesday over allegations of sexual harassment at the company.
A 52-year-old woman knocked at the doors of the high court, alleging that a senior employee at Johnson Controls–Hitachi Air Conditioning (India) Ltd, sexually harassed her and when she refused to give in to his demands, she was forced to resign in November.
After hearing the primary submission of the petitioner, single bench justice AJ Desai issued notices to Roopesh Jain, assistant vice-president (legal) of the firm; Gurmeet Singh, managing director; Sanjay Kumar, vice-president (Human Resource); and the state government, directing them to file their replies by January 22, 2018, when the matter comes up for further hearing.
The petitioner has submitted that her termination order should be set aside and a criminal and civil complaint be filed against Jain for sexual harassment and others for putting pressure on her to resign or withdraw the complaint against Jain.
The petitioner, a graduate in English literature and Law, was a practising lawyer in Gujarat High Court. She joined as a manager at Hitachi Home and Life Solution's Kadi branch in Mehsana district in 2006.
In her complaint, the petitioner claimed that after Johnson Controls Inc. and Hitachi Appliances joined hands, a new firm Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air conditioning (India) Ltd came into existence in August 2016.
In February 2017, Jain joined the company as assistant vice-president (legal). He soon started making advances at the petitioner. On a number of occasions, he invited her to go out with him.
When she did not give in to his demands, Jain wrote to the Global president (legal) — seeking permission to replace her — and vice-president (HR) and another woman colleague to pressurise her to resign in June.
The petitioner alleged that when she refused to resign, Jain resorted to severe mental harassment at work and, earlier this month, the company terminated her services.
GIVE IN OR MOVE ON
- According to the complainant, her superior made several advances at her, and when she refused to give in to his demands, he began mentally harassing her
- In her petition to the court, she said the superior wrote to the company’s global head, seeking permission to replace her, and also asked an HR official to put pressure on her to resign
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Gujarat High Court")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}