Probe panel gives clean chit to PRO Shinde

Aurangabad: The enquiry committee set up by the administration of Dr Babasaaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) gave a clean chit to public relations officer (PRO) Sanjay Shinde in a harassment case.

According to details, a girl of the second year of the Journalism and Mass Communication course at the university lodged a complaint with the administration on September 6, 2021, alleging that when she visited the office of PRO on August 28, 2021, the officer asked her to remove her mask with the intent to see her face.

She also cited the Whatsapp message of harassment sent by the officer to her on the evening of September 3, 2021.

The panel recorded the statements of 10 witnesses. The victim did not come before the enquiry officer despite several reminders nor want anyone to try to contact her.

In his statement before the panel, Shinde stated that the incident of chatting took place out of office hours and on office premises so, the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place Act would not be attracted. “I cannot be held guilty on the basis of xerox copy of Whatsapp chatting. The unwanted complaint of the victim has defamed and harassed me and my family,” he mentioned in the statement. The enquiry officer ATAK Shaikh submitted the probe report a few months ago, giving a clean chit to Shinde. Shinde was given joining last month with the permission of authorities and bodies. The administration made a probe report to the officer a few days ago only.