Noida: Genpact assistant VP Swaroop Raj commits suicide over accusations of sexual harassment

Swaroop Raj, a 35-year-old senior executive of a global IT company, who was temporarily suspended following complaints of sexual harassment at workplace, allegedly committed suicide at his Noida home, police said on Thursday.

Police said, that on Wednesday, wife of Swaroop Raj found him hanging from the ceiling fan at their Sector 137 home in Noida. Raj was an assistant vice-president in Genpact.

Swaroop Raj with his wife

Following the alleged acquisition of sexual harassment, Swaroop Raj was barred by the company from taking any official work further, till inquiry into the allegations made against him by two employees recently were completed, police said.

In 2007, Swaroop had joined the company and was promoted to the senior post recently, they said.

After being informed about the incident, police sent the body for postmortem on reaching the spot, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gautam Buddh Nagar Ajay Pal Sharma.

The SSP also added that a suicide note was also found from the spot which was addressed to his wife. Apparently, in the note, Swaroop Raj claimed that the allegations against him were ‘baseless’ but people would ‘look at him with the same eye even if he comes clean’.

The letter read; “I want to let you know how much I love you. Two of the employees have alleged me with sexual harassment but trust me I didn’t do anything. I know the world will understand this but, you and our families should trust me. The allegations are baseless and the entire Genpact will soon know about it.”

The note further stated, “I don’t have the courage to face everyone. I want you to be strong and live your life with respect, your husband has not done anything. I am leaving as everyone will look at me with eyes of disgust even if I come clean.”

While, confirming the temporary suspension, Genpact condoled the death but maintained that it would prefer to protect the privacy of Swaroop Raj and not divulge the details of the complaint.

According PTI, a company spokesperson said, “The complaint made serious allegations of sexual harassment which are being duly investigated by the Internal Complaints committee (ICC). To have a fair, uninfluenced inquiry, he was placed under temporary suspension pending the closure of the inquiry in line with legal requirement and company policy so that ICC could carry out a reasonable investigation into the allegations received from two female employees.”

The spokesperson also said, “This is a very difficult time for all of us, as an organisation and as friends and colleagues of the deceased our hearts go out to his family in this time of grief. We implore the public and media to give them the space and dignity they deserve.”

So far, no complaint has been made by the family of the executive but taking cognisance of the matter, the police is probing the case on their own, SSP Sharma added.

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