Now, whistleblower staff of Mankhurd shelter allege harassment

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court order, asking the crime branch to probe the Mankhurd shelter home case has come as a major victory for those who had brought the incident to light. The staff members, however, allege that they have been mentally tortured and threatened ever since they wrote the letter narrating the incident on December 31, 2012.

Nine months ago, TOI first reported about the letter from the staff of Home for Mentally Deficient Children, run by the Children’s Aid Society (CAS), an NGO funded by the state. It complained of a New Year’s Eve party for mentally challenged children, which involved Champagne and bar dancers.

Activist Sangeeta Punekar filed a PIL on the matter in the Bombay high court. On Wednesday, the court directed the crime branch to probe the matter and slammed the authorities at the home, noting that the offence fell within the purview of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. If the inquiry finds that the offence has been committed, the court ordered action against the perpetrators. To date, though, it has been a case of shooting the messenger.

Staff members say they have been shunted out of the home, mentally tortured and denied leave. “We continued to work under those who perpetrated the offence. A children’s welfare officer was transferred, and the newly appointed officer has been pressurizing the children not to talk of the incident,” said an employee. Two employees were transferred to other institutions without being given any reasons for their transfer. Some say they were harassed at every instance, served memos over trivial matters and denied leave, even when members of their family were ill.

Sharad Dave, honorary treasurer, Children’s Aid Society, who supported the staffers, found that he too, was ostracized, threatened and accused of “leaking” the letter to TOI. “At a meeting of the CAS in the chamber of the minister for women and child development at Mantralaya, an officer indicted in the staff letter accused me of leaking the matter to TOI, and asked for an inquiry against me,” said Dave.

He points to an inquiry report by the Child Welfare Committee that confirmed the incident during New Year’s Eve. “The report was kept under wraps for several months after its submission. I managed to get hold of a copy through the RTI Act,” says Dave.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/39833371.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

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