Sexual harassment case: MSRTC official gets pre-arrest bail

Mumbai: A Mumbai court has granted anticipatory bail to a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) official who has been booked for allegedly demanding sexual favours from a woman in lieu of promotion.

Additional Sessions Judge Shayana Patil allowed the pre-arrest bail plea of MSRTC deputy general manager Virendra Kadam on Wednesday. The detailed order is not available as yet.

A 28-year-old woman working as an associate consultant for MSRTC has alleged the incident occurred on May 29, 2014 after a meeting at Kadam’s cabin.

After the main discussion concluded, Kadam allegedly asked everyone present in the meeting except her to leave, the woman claimed.

Kadam then asked the peon to serve tea and biscuits, and the conversation about the project resumed, she claimed.

The applicant then made sexually suggestive remarks “insinuating that her professional advancement within the organization was contingent upon her willingness to comply with his inappropriate advances”, she alleged.

As per the woman, Kadam allegedly implied he could fast-track her promotion if she was “accommodating”.

Based on her complaint, Nagpada police registered a case against Kadam, after which he moved court for anticipatory bail.

In his plea, Kadam claimed he was falsely implicated in the case and that at no point of time was he alone with the complainant. The complaint lodged against him is based on fabricated and baseless claims, Kadam claimed in the plea.

The court, while granting pre-arrest bail to Kadam, asked him to cooperate in the investigation.