 "Deshpande suicide: Police grill Tata Steel staff; OP Bhatt to join probe panel")
A six-member team of Mumbai police on Monday interrogated employees of Tata Steel’s Corporate Communication department in Jamshedpur in connection with the suicide of Charudatta Deshpande, the company’s former chief of Corporate Communication, in Mumbai last month.
The interrogation led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Deepak Deoraj lasted for about nine hours. The team comprised of officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch and Thane police, Deoraj said and hinted that they were likely to continue the interrogation today.
Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil had ordered Mumbai Crime Branch chief Himanshu Roy to probe the alleged suicide of Deshpande (57) who was found hanging at his Vasai home on June 28. There were allegations that Deshpande killed himself following harassment by the employees of Tata Steel.
[caption id=“attachment_978301” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Tata Group has expanded its in-house probe panel to investigate the circumstances surrouding the sudden death of PR proffesional Charudutta Deshpande[/caption]
A departmental inquiry into the circumstances leading to Deshpande’s death has also been ordered by Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry. Meanwhile, Tata Steel said in a statement in Delhi that it has expanded the committee formed to ascertain the facts by inducting an independent director of the company.
“Further to our communication dated July 2, on the appointment of the committee to ascertain the facts relating to the allegations surrounding the demise of Charudatta Deshpande, the Board of Tata Steel has expanded the committee with the induction of O P Bhatt, independent director of the company,” it said in the statement.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsExplaining the rationale behind the induction of former SBI chief OP Bhatt in the probe panel. a senior Tata official was quoted as saying by the Economic Timesthat there will be further addition to the panel. “But there was a feeling that perhaps an independent, non-Tata executive should also be incorporated in the committee.”
Many had expressed doubts whether an in-house panel will be able to do full justice to the investigation.
On 2 July, the company set up a committee headed by Ishaat Hussain, non-executive director of Tata Steel, with the mandate to submit its findings to the board of Tata Steel within two months.The committee includes chief ethics officer of the Tata group Mukund Rajan, chief human resources officer NS Rajan and the group’s general counsel, Bharat Vasani.
According to various media reports, Deshpande was was under severe pressure and was even threatened in Jamshedpur which is home to Tata Steel’s biggest still mill in India. Reports also said that his phone was tapped and that he was confined to his place of stay.
Tata Steel said it has been extending full support to police investigations.
“Earlier on Monday, a team of Maharashtra police officials investigating the demise of Charudatta Deshpande visited Tata Steel’s offices in Jamshedpur. Tata Steel’s officials have extended their full support and cooperation to the ongoing investigations,” it said.
With inputs from PTI
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