The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) released a statement on Thursday that a three-member committee has been formed to enquire into allegations of sexual harassment against Board of Control for Cricket in India's CEO Rahul Johri.
The press release issued by the COA stated. "In order to enable a transparent and objective enquiry an independent committee comprising of the following distinguished persons is being constituted to inquire into the allegations against Mr. Johri: Justice Rakesh Sharma (former Judge, Allahabad High Court); Barkha Singh (former Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women); and PC Sharma, IPS (Retd.) (former Director, CBI).
The release added, "The said independent committee is being requested to submit its report containing its findings and recommendations within 15 days. Mr. Johri will continue to remain on leave until the above independent committee submits its report and the same is acted upon."
Earlier in the day, seven state cricket associations, including Gujarat where BJP chief Amit Shah is the president, wrote to the COA to demand the immediate suspension of Johri .
Apart from Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Saurashtra and Goa are the ones who have asked COA to take cognisance of #MeToo charges by an unnamed woman, Johri's former colleague in the Discovery channel, along with that of the BCCI woman employee allegedly subjected to an improper behaviour from the CEO.
It was only after DNA reports that COA chief Vinod Rai had sent Johri on leave seeking his reply on the allegations within a week. Though the deadline has already expired, but whether Johri has filed his reply or not cannot be verified till date.
The letters written by all seven state units, in possession of the DNA, have shared the similar sentiments and sought the procedures followed and the action taken after the complaint.
Shah-led GCA has raised a question that "why different yardstick was being adopted by the COA for Johri as in the past officials and players (Team India pacer Mohammed Shami) were put under immediate suspension following allegations of adultery by his wife Hasin Jahan only few months before.
"Could the COA really risk the possibility of someone having committed such a dastardly act as described in the allegations being allowed to continue to work at the office of the BCCI in the interim?" stated the GCA letter, adding: "Did the COA not feel that allowing him to continue in his position as the CEO of the BCCI would scare off the victim of the alleged behaviour?
RI Palani, joint-secretary TNCA, in a strongly-worded letter wrote: "We are shocked and pained at the goings-on at the BCCI that allegations of rape or an act as heinous if not more, have emerged against the Board's CEO."
"Did the COA not feel that his continuance in the instant matter pending adjudication would create a work environment that is toxic for women," Palani went on question the COA.
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