The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Wednesday dismissed sexual harassment allegations against the CEO of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Rahul Johri and allowed him to resume duties.
CoA Chairman Vinod Rai stated that Johri would continue as the CEO of BCCI and resume office, however, CoA panelist and former India women's cricketer Diana Edulji disagreed with the decision.
In line with the opinions of Justice Rakesh Sharma (Retd.) and former chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women Barkha Singh, Rai stated that Johri may be permitted to resume his duties. He also expressed that no adverse action is warranted against Johri.
At the outset, Edulji stated that she has not been able to go through the entire report due to the paucity of time. However, after going through the final recommendations of each of the three members of the Committee, she said that she did not agree with the conclusion.
Edulji also pointed out that it has been her stand right from the beginning that the reputation of BCCI is of prime importance. In the circumstances, she expressed the view that the report of the Committee is actually a split and that Johri should be asked to tender his resignation with immediate effect.
The CoA's three-member Independent Inquiry Committee comprising Former Justice Rakesh Sharma, former chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women Barkha Singh, and former Director of CBI IPS (Retd) P.C. Sharma, who is the acting chairman of the committee, submitted its report to the CoA earlier today at 11:30 am.
In its findings, Justice Sharma stated that Johri hasn't abused his powers and the allegations of sexual harassment against Johri are false, baseless and have been fabricated and manufactured with an ulterior motive to harm Johri.
"The complainants have failed to provide their cases as set up by them and we (me and Barkha Singh) are of the opinion that Rahul Johri has not abused his powers. The allegations of sexual harassment in the office or elsewhere are false, baseless and have been fabricated and manufactured with an ulterior motive to harm Rahul Johri and throw him out of BCCI as indicated in some communications, and reactions expressed in the e-mails, statements in the press," the finding read.
Sharma also said that on the basis of mischievous, false, fabricated, unsubstantiated complaints, e-mails, tweets etc on social media, he and Barkha are not ready to hold Johri guilty and added it would be premature, unjust and unfair to recommend any action against Johri on the basis of material placed before them.
Adding to Sharma, Barkha said that such kind of motivated and fabricated allegations will diminish the status of women and job opportunities for them. Such complaints will also have an adverse effect on the fight for equality for women. She also proposed that a "Grievance redressal committee/cell" may be constituted in BCCI in the interest of women employees."
Meanwhile, lawyer-activist Veena Gowda stated that "it is essential for Johri to undergo some form of gender sensitivity counselling/ training."
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, a woman alleged that she was sexually harassed by Johri when they were colleagues at a satellite TV channel. The allegations were posted on Twitter by another person on behalf of the accuser.
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