Mumbai: An FIR has been registered at Pydhonie police station against Dinesh Dabhade, an Assistant Commissioner in the Maharashtra Government’s Labour Department, where he was earlier the president, for sexually assaulting a woman who worked as a contractual typist.
As per the FIR, the 36-year-old woman worked in the ‘metal, paper market and shops’ section at Masjid Bandar, from April 2019. In July 2023, Dabhade was given the additional charge as president of the department. On his first day, after learning about her work experience and qualification, he suggested that she apply for a position in the accounting department.
As per the FIR, she filed an application and was informed by a colleague that she would be promoted as an assistant in the accounting department. In November 2023, a coordinator informed her that Dabhade would call her in his cabin to discuss the promotion order. She was called one afternoon, when Dabhade allegedly grabbed her hand and promised the promotion if she “made him happy”. When she tried to leave, he allegedly blocked her way and touched her back, asking her to “think about it”, states the FIR.
In the following six months, she alleged that the staff stopped cooperating with her and created hurdles, following which she filed a complaint with the Chief Minister’s Office, the Labour Minister’s Office, and the Commissioner of the Labour Department on July 28 this year.
Speaking to the FPJ, Dabhade refuted the allegations and said that the woman was asked to “correct basic work mistakes”, failing which her contract ended in June 2024. He said that she filed the complaint within a few days after the contract ended. “Our internal investigation department also found no evidence. I’m cooperating with the police in the probe,” he said.
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