By Our Correspondent
KENDRAPARA/BHUBANESWAR: Pramod Kumar Sahu has been removed from the post of Kendrapara Credit Cooperative Society (KCCSL) President over the charge of sexually harassing a 23-year-old woman employee, sources said.
The Vice-President of the society would act as the President till election of a new president is held.Sahu was arrested on November 4 from his residence at Baniamala here on the basis of a police complaint lodged against him by the victim.
Sahu allegedly outraged the modesty of the girl on several occasions when she was employed as a Clerk in the cooperative society office. She had alleged that he had called her to his office chamber many times and touched her inappropriately.
A case was registered against Sahu under Sections 509, 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 294 (use of obscene language) of the IPC.
The woman who has filed FIR against BJD leader Sahu said: “I am receiving death threats through various channels to withdraw the complaints against Pramod Sahu and they are claiming that he is a very powerful man and can do whatever he wants. Even he (Sahu) himself has also threatened me saying, he is the State Secretary of BJD, so do whatever you can.”
The woman employee of Kendrapara Credit Cooperative Society who brought allegations of workplace harassment against the society president, Pramod Kumar Sahu, alleged that she has been receiving threats.
“I have been receiving death threats through various channels to withdraw the complaints against Pramod Sahu and they are claiming that he is a very powerful man and can do whatever he wants. Even he (Sahu) himself has also threatened me saying, he is the State secretary of BJD, so do whatever you can,” the lady employee said in an exclusive interview to OTV.
Threatening to commit suicide if denied justice, the lady employee said, “It has been six months since I lodged a complaint in this regard but I presume that pressure must be mounting on the cops resulting in inaction.”
Narrating the torment she had to face while working at the credit cooperative society, the complainant said, “Pramod Sahu always used to sexually harass me despite my protests. Often he would show lewd behaviour on pretext of seeking my help in helping him understand mobile functioning. He used to touch me inappropriately and also lure me with gifts and promotions. He also invited me to his farmhouse where he forced me to maintain physical relationship with him. When I resisted his advances, he threatened to rape and murder me. I was absolutely shocked to see such behaviour since he was a man of my father’s age.”
Earlier, the lady employee appeared before a four-member team of Local Complaints Committee (LCC) set up by the Kendrapara district administration where her statements were recorded. She also submitted all documents, CDs and evidences to the team.
