HC asks govt to conduct probe into sexual harassment complaint

The Madras High Court today asked the Tamil Nadu government to conduct an inquiry into a sexual harassment complaint against a Deputy Director of Agricultural Marketing in Kanchipuram district, who will retire tomorrow.
An Agricultural Officer in Thanjavur District had filed a petition in July last year, seeking to direct the Agricultural Secretary to initiate action against Sampath, the Deputy Director, for his "untoward and atrocious acts" against her.
She also sought to instruct the Director, Agricultural Marketing Department, to consider her representation to treat the periods of her non-attendance period as medical leave and to pay all monetary benefits.

Pending disposal of the petition, she also filed a Miscellaneous Petition to direct the Agricultural Secretary not to permit Sampath to retire from service on January 31 and to place him under suspension for his alleged act of sexual harassment against her.
Justice R Subbaiah in his order said the court cannot give any direction not to permit Sampath to retire from service tomorrow but directed the petitioner to submit a copy of her complaint and the copy of the order of the court to the Agricultural Secretary.
On receipt of it, the Agricultural Secretary should conduct an inquiry, the judge said.