Markfed official accused of sexually harassing woman staffer suspended

: Punjab Markfed has suspended its Amritsar district manager (DM) Kulwinder Singh after allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him by a woman employee of the department on Friday.

The suspension order of Kulwinder Singh, who was under transfer from Amritsar to Markfed Canneries, Jalandhar, was issued on Friday evening under the signature of Markfed’s deputy chief manager (personnel) Sanjeev Manaktala.

The order, however, didn’t mention the reason behind the action, but Markfed’s managing director (MD) Varun Roojam said the district manager was suspended on the basis of the complaint of sexual harassment by a woman employee of the department.

Roojam said, “A sexual harassment complaint committee of the department, comprising senior officials, has also been sent to Amritsar to probe the allegations. The committee has initiated a probe and it will submit its report as early as possible.”

The victim lodged her complaint with the Ranjeet Avenue police on Friday stating that she has been working in the department for the past seven years and six months ago, Kulwinder Singh joined as DM and since then he has been leering at her.

She said, “The accused also used to make me sit in his cabin unnecessarily, but I didn’t tell about it to anyone”.

She said, “On October 23, I went to the DM’s cabin for submitting my leave application where he sexually harassed me. I, somehow, managed to come out of the cabin and went home”.

The victim has also sent copies of the complaint to Punjab cooperation minister, MD Varun Roojam, deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and chairperson of the National Women Commission Lalitha Kumaramangalam.