Orissa Speaker Mohanty battles accusations of sexual harassment

Bhubaneswar, Mar 27 : The entire opposition in the Orissa Assembly has demanded the resignation of Speaker Maheshwar Mohanty following accusation of sexual harassment by a lady marshal.

A First Information Report was filed at the Mahila police station here on behalf of marshal Gayatri Panda by a group of women activists.

Assistant Commissioner of Police B N Guru told reporters that Panda's FIR was accepted but a case was yet to be registered as inspector in-charge of Mahila police station is away from the state capital.

The Speaker has been accused of taking the help of his driver and other staff to persuade Gayatri Panda for giving sexual benefits. Mahaeshwar Mohantry was also accused of making frequent vulgar gestures towards her.

The complaint said that the Speaker had sent a vehicle to her house around midnight to fetch her, which had caused her mental agony.

"Since I did not agree to these proposals, I was suspended repeatedly and threatened of actions on flimsy grounds," said the lady marshal adding that the Speaker had sent messages that the problems could be solved if there was a " meeting."

She also alleged that some anti-social elements had threatened to kill her for challenging Mohanty.

The Speaker maintained that the charges made by the woman assistant marshal were fallout of disciplinary action taken against her due to her unauthorised absence from duty.

Earlier, on Wednesday, dismissing the allegations as false and baseless, the Speaker said that he was willing to face a probe into the matter.

Mohanty said that the charges were a part of a conspiracy to defame him in which well-placed and important politicians were involved.

ANI