HP yet to receive order on Som Mittal petition

Bangalore, Jan 31 (UNI) Hewlett Packard today said it was not able to react immediately on Supreme Court's dismissal of petition filed by the former Managing Director of its BPO arm HP Global Soft Ltd, Som Mittal, with regard to alleged rape and murder case of one of its employee in Bangalore in 2005.

In a statement issued here today, HP said, "In the matter concerning the dismissal of the petition filed by Som Mittal before the Supreme Court, we are yet to receive the copy of the written order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. We will be in a position to provide our comments after we receive and peruse the order." The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by Mr Mittal, now the president of NASSCOM, seeking quashing of an FIR against him in connection with the case of rape and murder of Pratibha Murthy, by the driver of the pick-up vehicle in December 2005.

Police had accused his company of violating the 2002 order of the Karnataka government relating to woman working in night shift. The government had registered a case against Mr Mittal for violating the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961.

It's order carried a caviet which said that woman employees working in night shift should be given transport and proper security during the travel. It contended that while transport was arranged there was no security staff in the vehicle.

The Supreme Court while rejecting the petition, said the trial court (Karnataka High Court) would decide the maintainability of the complaint against Mr Mittal.

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