No action taken against municipal officer despite adverse Vishaka Committee report

THANE: Eleven months after a Vishaka Committee submitted its report to the municipal commissioner of Ulhasnagar indicting an assistant municipal commissioner in a case of sexual misconduct, no action has been taken against the errant officer by the corporation.
The officer, Jameer Akbar Lengrekar, was found guilty of indulging in sexual harassment of a female employee in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation office by the committee, which submitted its investigation report to the municipal commissioner on September 5, 2023. However, nothing happened of it and the officer faced no disciplinary action.
Left with no option, the survivor filed a police complaint on August 27, 2024, under sections 354, 354(A), and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.
The officer’s misconduct came to light when the 42-year-old female clerk reported him to senior municipal officials and the Maharashtra State Commission for Women for sexual harassment. According to her complaint, Lengrekar harassed her between April 2022 to July 2023 in the form of inappropriate advances and demands of sexual favours.
The survivor’s husband, who was a driver at the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, had passed away in 2010 due to illness. After his death, the victim joined the corporation as a junior clerk in 2011. In 2022, while posted at the property department, she had to visit Lengrekar’s office regularly as he was the in-charge. During this time, Lengrekar reportedly exploited the situation to make inappropriate advances towards the survivor.
On March 20, 2024, the victim approached the Maharashtra State Commission for Women with a complaint against Lengrekar. She then submitted a written complaint to senior officials of the municipal corporation on August 14, 2023. Following this, the corporation appointed a Vishaka Committee to investigate the complaint. It consisted of senior government officials and NGO members. The report of this investigation was submitted to the municipal commissioner on September 5, 2023.
The report clearly stated that Lengrekar was found guilty of displaying disrespectful behaviour towards women, belittling them, and exhibiting a general disregard for women (as supported by the attached complaints/notices and warnings). It stated that the respondent’s behavior is characterised by vulgar physical and verbal expressions, as well as sexual harassment. However, no action was taken on this report.
Advocate Sagar Kadam, representing the complainant, said, “Even after the Vishakha Committee submitted its report, the then municipal commissioner did not take any action against Lengrekar. Instead, they dismissed the Vishakha Committee and formed a new internal committee to investigate the same case. Meanwhile, the woman was transferred to different departments. We have filed writ petitions regarding the illegal behavior of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation authorities in this matter.”
In fact, even after the submission of the Vishaka Committee report, Lengrekar continued to harass the survivor.
The survivor has now filed a complaint at the Ulhasnagar Central police station. A police officer, who is handling the case, said, “The matter is under investigation, and we have taken into consideration all reports from the Vishakha Committee as well as those from the Maharashtra Woman Commission. The investigation is still in its initial stages.”