After Smriti Irani spots CCTV in Fabindia trial room, Goa CM says will find out if act is intentional
Four people have been arrested so far and were produced in court today
Bengaluru/Goa: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said the administration will find out if the camera spotted by Union Minister Smriti Irani trained on the trial room of ‘Fabindia’ store, was an intentional act or not.
"It's a very unfortunate incident. We have to find out if the act that happened is intentional, purposeful or unknowingly because such cameras are often displayed in shops," said Parsekar.
He had earlier assured stringent action over the incident, saying a thorough investigation would be done and the culprit will be taken to task.
The four men - Paresh Bhagat, Raju Payanche, Prashant Naik and Karim Lakhani – had been arrested so far in connection with the case and were produced before a criminal court in Mapusa.
They have been booked for voyeurism, intrusion into privacy and also capturing, publishing image of private area of any person without consent.
"The investigation is on. We will get to know more after analysing the camera and videos," Superintendent of Police, North Goa Umesh Gaonkar, said on Friday.
Read: While trying clothes, Smriti Irani spots camera pointed at trial room of Fabindia store in Goa
The senior executives of the ethnic lifestyle brand are likely to be questioned on Saturday.
"We will also be questioning all the top bosses of Fabindia, including its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (William Bissell) tomorrow," said Karthik Kashyap, a senior officer of the local Crime Branch, on Friday.
While trying clothes at the outlet on Friday, Irani spotted the camera, which was positioned to record inside the small room. Footage from the camera, including that of the minister, was found recorded on a computer at the store, alleged a legislator of Goa, Micheal Lobo. A case was filed with the local police.
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A team of top Fabindia officials is on its way to Goa. The Goa Congress demanded immediate sealing of all Fabindia outlets across the country.
"What happened at Fabindia is shameful and shocking to all of us, the state governments all over the country should immediately seal all Fabindia outlets in the country and carry out a thorough inspection," said Goa Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar.
Embarrassed by the incident, Fabindia MD William Bissell said CCTV cameras at its stores are installed according to standard safety and security procedures and asserted there has "never" been any incident of uncivilised behaviour by its staff.