Gujarat: The Sola Police in Ahmedabad on December 31 filed a complaint of alleged rape, molestation and intimidation against the chairman and managing director of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Rajiv Modi. The complaint that comes after a direction of the Gujarat High Court also mentions Johnson Mathew, one of the employees of the company.
Cadila Pharmaceuticals is one of the largest privately held pharmaceutical companies in the country with headquarters in Ahmedabad. A Bulgarian national, who had joined the company as a flight attendant, had moved the Gujarat High Court.
A complaint has been filed against Modi under sections 376, 504 and 354 of the Indian Penal Code, assistant police commissioner H M Kansagra told reporters. The woman had reportedly filed an application with the Women's Cell of the Police Department, but later on approached the High Court after the police allegedly failed to take action.
The Gujarat High Court has directed that the investigation be carried out by an officer of the rank of IPS and a report be submitted to the Court.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Lavina Sinha told a section of the media that the investigation will be conducted by a police inspector-level officer and will be supervised by an IPS rank officer. She also said that they would approach the Court and seek clarification as to who should conduct the investigation. According to Sinha, the police would investigate and submit a report to the court. He held that the police cannot act on it.
Gujarat HC Orders Probe
The Gujarat High Court in its order dated December 22, directed the chief judicial magistrate to pass an order of investigation by a competent police official into the complaint.
In her plea in the Gujarat High Court, the Bulgarian woman had sought that the police should register an FIR against Modi, 63, on what she described as rape, assault, criminal intimidation and human trafficking. Apparently, there are other charges also. The complainant had held in the Court that the police had failed to investigate the case and register an FIR.
