By: Suparn Pandey, one of the co-founders of ScoopWhoop indicted for sexual harassment in a recently lodged FIR.
Just a little while ago we learned about the accusation on ‘The Viral Fever’ Co-founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar for sexual harassment by one of the employees. A series of social media allegations followed the denunciation constraining the Mumbai Police to lodge a FIR. The event also summoned several debates for workplace ethics and safety for the working ladies.
Half a month down the line, a case surfaces that seems to be the replay of the episode. This time the accused is the ScoopWhoop co-founder, Suparn Pandey. The FIR charges Suparn of sexual harassment and assault. The FIR also charges other co-founders for inaction, covering, and encouraging the harassment despite several complaints.
ScoopWhoop Co-Founder Accused Of Sexual Harassment, the girl was a Senior Executive at ScoopWhoop Media Pvt. Ltd. The FIR has been lodged at the Vasant Kunj (South) Police Station and charges Suparn with section 354 A, section 509, and section 506 relating to sexual harassment, insulting the modesty of a woman, and criminal intimidation.
The lady claims that for the two years that she worked at the firm, she faced inappropriate comments and lewd remarks. As she quotes in the FIR, “Mr. Suparn Pandey in public commented on my sexuality and this comment included calling me a names (sic.) which reflected on my sexual orientation and my sexual preferences (sic.) as well as characterised me in a certain way.” The FIR further had her quoting, ‘Mr. Pandey got so bold as to send me a lewd video over the official Gmail chat, in which the words were “aapnu jeans dheeli karo.”‘
The woman alleges that the harassment was beyond just words. She says that Mr. Pandey often came uncomfortably close and tried to play with her hair. He even sent her a lewd video on official Gmail chat.
As per ScoopWhoop’s former senior executive, the other co-founders were pretty aloof to her grievances. One of the co-founders Sriparna Tikekar assured her that such actions wouldn’t return, but never took any action on Suparn. She continued raising the issue even after finding her complaints go in vain. She later allegedly faced humiliation and enforcement to work close to Suparn and on refusing was rebuked and shamed.
The lady further alleges that Suparn would often come drunk in working hours and tried to touch her. She resigned only when he crossed all the limits.
She recalled the incident in her FIR. It read, ‘Mr. Pandey approached me after the meeting, between 8-9:30 PM, when I was alone at my work desk and asked me to be less “aggressive” in my dealings with other people and learn to “pour some sugar on it.” After that, he then got up, kissed my forehead and walked away.’
As per her FIR, the co-foundersshe also impeded her from filing any official complaint. The co-founders allegedly threatened to spoil her career and malign her in public. Regular harassments followed by inactions and threats of co-founders persuaded her to quit her job.
ScoopWhoop Co-Founder Accused Of Sexual Harassment.
