'Investigating officer appointed in BHEL officer suicide case:' Telangana Govt tells SC

In connection with the BHEL officer suicide case, the Telangana government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that a senior officer had been appointed by the state as an Investigating Officer, adding that a status report had also been submitted in the case. The top court was hearing a petition filed by the mother of the late victim who has demanded a CBI investigation in the case.

"A senior officer has been appointed as an Investigating Officer, in terms of Court's previous order and a status report has been submitted on February 7," the Telangana government submitted to the top court. 

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Telangana government to immediately entrust a senior official to further investigate the matter pulling up the state for their 'insensitivity' in dealing with the suicide. "To avoid embarrassment to the state, (Telangana), we refrain from recording the reasons mentioned seeking adjournment in the case. The reason stated indicated the insensitivity with which the investigation is progressing in this case. We say no more for the time being," said the top court. 

Meanwhile, the Telangana government sought more time from the court to complete the investigation in the case. The bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar granted this request, adjourning the matter for four weeks. 

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BHEL officer suicide case

The petitioner, the mother of the victim, has alleged that her daughter had committed suicide on October 17, 2019, due to repeated sexual harassment at her workplace- BHEL's Hyderabad office, with her perpetrators being given a clean chit by the Telangana police in their latest report before the NCW. 

The mother of the victim also alleged that her deceased daughter, who worked at the office for 10 years, categorically mentioned that an attempt to rape and repeated sexual harassment by the main accused - Arther Kishore Kumar, and other co-accused persons, had prompted her to commit suicide. The suicide note of the deceased and her last telephonic conversation with her sister had established this. 

However, the Telangana State police had failed to take any action in the case. Moreover, the Police had not even arrested the main accused, or any other accused persons, failing to even conduct a custodial investigation regarding the same, as per the mother. The petition before the apex court demands a CBI investigation into the case. 

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(With Agency Inputs)