3 officials of Guj industry body booked for sexual harassment

Three office-bearers of city-based Federation of Industries and Associations (FIA) have been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a woman employee of the organisation, police said today.
Arvind Gajera, K T Patel and Kirit H Patel were booked following a complaint against them on August 23 at Ellisbridge police station.
Meanwhile, the accused office bearers have resigned from FIA, its president Jagdish Ramani said.
According to the police, the 32-year-old woman has alleged that over the past few months, the three had sexually harassed her during business trips in Surat, Jamnagar and other cities.
"She works as a contractual employee in the event management department of FIA, which has its office in Pritam Nagar area in the city. She alleged that these businessmen made sexual advances during business trips to Surat, Jamnagar and other cities a few months ago," said sub-inspector Dansingh Vasava of Ellisbridge police station.

"The victim alleged that the accused also threatened her with dire consequences for resisting the sexual advances. Based on her complaint, we recorded statements of some staff members of FIA," Vasava, who is investigating the case, said.

The trio has been booked under IPC sections 354 (outraging a woman's modesty), 354-a (sexual harassment), 509 (gesture or word intended to insult the modesty of woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Elaborating on the resignations of the three office-bearers, Ramani said, "We have taken their resignations today. They are not with FIA now. FIA has fully cooperated with the police in this matter. I am ready to give my statement whenever I will be called by police."

The FIA works for the growth of over 80,000 MSME units situated in more than 200 industrial estates across Gujarat. It also organises industrial exhibitions across the state.