The Congress Information Technology (IT) Cell is now caught with a sexual abuse scandal. The Delhi Police on Tuesday registered a case against loudmouth IT Cell head and former actress Divya Spandana’s close aide Chirag Patnaik for sexually abusing a 28-year old lady staffer. The complaint filed by the young lady who was openly abused by Chirag Patnaik at the Congress party’s IT Cell office drew parallels with Tehelka Magazine’s Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury. Divya Spandana tried to hush-up the complaint of the victim girl and attempted to save the accused. So as per the laws regarding sexual abuses, Divya Spandana too is equally culpable.

The complaint also says that on May 14, 2018, the victim complained to Divya Spandana and she totally ignored it and tried to hush it up. It also says Divya Spandana too harassed her and within three days the victim left the IT Cell.

The Congress IT Cell works at 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, which is a big home allotted to the powerful Members of Parliament (MP) from 2009 Congress party’s “War Room”. Rahul Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, and Jairam Ramesh are regular visitors to this place and it is considered a lucky area after the party retained power in 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress party went out of the way to retain this area after it lost many sitting MPs in 2014 and currently this palatial residence is allotted in the name of nominated MP and actress Rekha. As her tenure ended recently, the party is looking to some MPs to retain this accommodation. So it is a good guess that an attempt to rape or sexual abuse happened many a time at this high profile area.

“…On many occasions, under the pretext of checking the tweets, Patnaik violated my personal space by coming too close to me. While I was busy concentrating on my computer screen, Patnaik encircled me from behind in a manner most immoral, pretending to check the tweets. He also exhaled into my breathing space whenever he encircled me – an act that was absolutely disgusting and immoral,” said the victim girl worked at Congress IT Cell. Her detailed complaint exposing the activities in the Congress IT Cell is published below.

The complaint also says that on May 14, 2018, the victim complained to Divya Spandana and she totally ignored it and tried to hush it up. It also says Divya Spandana too harassed her and within three days the victim left the IT Cell. This incident shows that in the Congress inner circle, still, the old Tandoor murder culture works when it comes to atrocities towards women[1]. Whether it is a party office or an IT Cell, this incident lays bare the fact that the terrific culture is continuing.

“I also tried to complain to Divya about his behaviour on 14th May 2018; however she refused to listen to my complaint and diverted the topic to my work performance. The frequent misbehaviour of Patnaik, coupled with Divya Spandana’s arrogant attitude had rendered the working place intolerable,” said the victim who was posted as Social Media Manager of Congress party’s IT Cell.

She also told the Delhi Police about sending a complaint to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, which got no attention or action against Chirag Patnaik and Divya Spandana.

Here apart from Chirag Patnaik, Divya Spandan also committed a grave wrong by hushing up a lady’s complaint on sexual abuse. Delhi Police must act and summon Divya Spandana for this grave wrong of hushing up a complaint on sexual abuse. She must be charged as per the laws.

The victim’s complaint is published below:



References:

[1] Cop who led probe on tandoor murder case pens book – Feb 16, 2018, The Hindu