HRC to probe sexual harassment charge against former Speaker

Bhubaneswar, Apr 01 (UNI) The State Human Rights Commission (HRC) will probe into the allegation of sexual harassment charges levelled against former Speaker Maheswar Mohanty by suspended lady Marshal of the Orissa Assembly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said.

Mr Patnaik told reporters that he had asked the Chairman of the HRC to conduct the probe into the allegation of sexual harassment charges against Mr Mohanty, who quit the post yesterday.

The Chief Minister said the former Speaker had suggested for a House Committee to probe charges against him but the Opposition did not agree to the proposal.

Mr Patnaik said the HRC, being another constitutional body, it would be proper to investigate into the sexual harassment involving the office of Speaker, also a constitutional authority.

While the Speaker resigned from his post, the Chief Minister sacked Information and Public Relations Minister Debashis Nayak after newspapers reported his alleged involvement in instigating the lady Marshal, Gayatri Panda, to slap a sexual harassment charge against the Speaker.

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