The Hindu : Kerala News : Ex- Speaker appears before rights panel

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Ex- Speaker appears before rights panel

Staff Reporter

Denies sexual harassment charge

BHUBANESWAR: Former speaker of the Orissa Legislative Assembly Maheswar Mohanty, who had to resign from his post following “sexual” harassment allegation made by assistant lady marshal Gayatri Panda, appeared before State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) here on Tuesday.

This was the first occasion when Mr. Mohanty was summoned to office of the SHRC. Mr. Mohanty, however, did not reveal the content of his reply. SHRC Chairperson Justice R. K. Patra said the former speaker denied his role in the harassment of the lady employee.

Accompanied by a few close associates, Mr. Mohanty reached the SHRC office at around 1 p.m. and his reply continued for next two hours. Two lawyers appointed by Ms. Panda were also present on the occasion. Justice Patra asked Mr. Mohanty if he wanted to appoint any lawyer to fight his case. The former speaker, who was also a law practitioner, said he would plead his own case in the SHRC court.

“I have been again summoned to be present on Monday next. I will answer to every allegation in detail then,” Mr. Mohanty told reporters while coming out of the SHRC building.

Naveen Patnaik government, which was apparently embarrassed by the episode, had handed over the case to SHRC for a probe. Along with Mr. Mohanty, former public relation minister Debasish Nayak had also to quit for his alleged roles in the case.

The assistant lady marshal of the Assembly, Ms. Panda, who was suspended earlier, appeared once before the commission and on another occasion she complained that there was threat on her life. According to lawyers who attended the hearing, Mr. Mohanty said neither he had ever called the lady on later hours nor had he any role in distributing duty assignments to officials including Ms. Panda.

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