Bengaluru: Everyone thought the “Me Too campaign” has sensitized men against committing female atrocities all over the world. The movement empowered women. Celebrities who spoke boldly against the powerful in the society on their cases of sexual abuse seemed to have no impact on the well-educated and empowered working woman of a reputed global company in India’s IT capital.
Jeevanbheemanagar police investigating the case of the accused Akash Shukla, working with Goldman Sachs Services, taking the upskirt videos of his colleagues are finding it difficult to get the statements of the victims.
As a result, the social stigma attached to testifying against a sexual harassment case on the part of female employees of Goldman Sachs is slowing down investigation.
Sources say none of the victims who’s upskirt videos have been shot by the accused, who is also their colleague, are ready to share their experience with police.
It is said that the accused who recorded the obscene upskirt videos of his own colleagues for several months is slowly slipping away from the clutches of law.
Woman employees of the reputed Goldman Sachs company have flatly refused to record their statements on the issue and they are not supporting the police, the sources explain. Most of the cases will not go to their logical end for the want of witnesses’ statements. In most of the rape cases also, accused persons are let away as the victims turn hostile fearing social stigma, explains a senior police officer.
Jeevanbheemanagar police, who are investigating the case have decided to visit Goldman Sachs Company with a senior officer to convince the victims.
“We will convince the victims and record their statements,” the police claimed. Even in case, if none of the victims come forward, the police have decided to gather other evidences against the accused person to nail him in a court of law.
The accused person’s mobile has been seized. There is enough evidence available there. It will be gathered and taken to its logical end in the court of law. “We will not allow the case to be defeated in the court. Moreover, we have the confidence that the victims will support police,” the sources maintained.
However, the investigating officer who went to the company seeking to record the statements had to return empty-handed some time back. The company had immediately acted against the accused Akash Shukla after he was caught red-handed while taking upskirt videos of his colleagues in the premises of the campus. Akash Shukla was put through a full-fledged internal inquiry. They had seized his mobile and laptop. Later, the company had lodged a complaint against him in the police station.
The police are investigating the case under IPC sections 354 (D), 354 (C) and 354. The case was reported on July 31. The company’s vice-president Deepika Banerjee had filed a complaint against the accused person. The First Information Report (FIR) mentions in the column of victims as a “few woman employees of the firm”.
The complaint said the accused Akash Shukla had taken the upskirt videos between Dec 1, 2018 to Mar 16, 2019. The police have not yet arrested the accused Akash Shukla. It is to be seen whether, the victims, who are working in various capacities in the investment banking company will cooperate with the police by recording their statements. When DC contacted the complainant, Deepika Banerjee flatly refused to divulge further details.
