Vapi government doctor booked for harassing women guards

SURAT: The medical superintendent of ESIC hospital at Vapi in Valsad district was booked on Saturday for alleged sexual harassment of two women security guards. The accused allegedly hugged and kissed the women guards in his office. The women guards were allegedly ‘sacked from their jobs’ on Saturday for submitting written complaints to the higher authorities demanding an internal inquiry into the incident, one of the complainants has alleged.

Anil Sahar, medical superintendent, was booked at Vapi GIDC police station under various sections of Indian Penal Code for sexually harassing the women guards on a complaint filed by a 22-year-old security guard. The woman has alleged that she along with her colleague was being continuously harassed by the accused and sacked from the jobs after submission of complaints by them. The complainant alleged that one of her colleagues had even left her job a couple of months ago because of sexual harassment by the accused.

Mentioning a specific incident, the woman alleged in her complaint that the accused called her to his office on June 15. She saw him sexually harassing a woman security guard, who has since quit, in the office. When the accused saw her, he pulled her near him and hugged and kissed her. She managed to escape from his grip and left the office with the other woman. The accused asked the complainant to come to his house on Wednesday as his wife would not be there. He told her his salary was over Rs2 lakh and that he can gift her anything that she wanted.

The complainant informed the supervisor of her security agency where she works on contract. He asked her to give written complaint to hospital authorities. The complainant also alleged that the accused used to follow her up to her residence. The woman and her colleague had submitted written complaints to the hospital authorities on June 19 against him.

Meanwhile, on Saturday when both the victims reached the hospital, they were not allowed to mark their attendance. They were pushed out of the medical superintendent’s office when the duo tried to make a representation to him about this.

“We are collecting evidences and statements of concerned persons will be registered soon. Our investigation is continuing in the matter,” said a police officer at Vapi GIDC police station.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)