Congress's social media team member Chirag Patnaik has deleted his Twitter account.



Chirag Patnaik's decision to leave the microblogging site came after the head of the Congress's social media wing Divya Spandana deleted her Twitter account on Sunday.



Chirag Patnaik was earlier accused of sexually harassing a former colleague. Later, Divya Spandana had come to his defence, claiming that the allegations were being probed internally.



The reasons behind their decisions to delete their respective Twitter accounts are not yet known.



THE CASE



A former employee with the cell had accused Chirag Patnaik of violating her personal space and indulging in "immoral behaviour". The victim was a social media manager and was given the responsibility of running the official Twitter account of the Indian National Congress (@INCIndia), and the communications handle (@INCSandesh).



In a police complaint, she had narrated how Chirag Patnaik, a senior office-bearer had made indecent advances at her. "While I was busy concentrating on my computer screen, Mr Patnaik encircled me from behind in a manner most immoral, pretending to check the tweets," she wrote in the complaint filed at the North Avenue police station.



"He also exhaled into my breathing space whenever he encircled me....he also tapped on my hands and shoulders - an act that was totally unnecessary and made me extremely uncomfortable," she added.



A case had been registered under section 354-A and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. The victim said the incidents took place between April 4 and May 23 and said that she put up with his behaviour due to fear of losing her job as he was immensely powerful and could get anyone sacked.



DIVYA SPANDANA TOOK NO ACTION: VICTIM



In fact, she had also accused Congress's social media cell in-charge Divya Spandana to be arrogant and not acting on her complaint. She allegedly complained to Divya Spandama on May 14, 2018, but the latter changed the topic to her performance at work. The victim alleged that she was psychologically traumatised and so she resigned on May 17, 2018.



Although her resignation was accepted only after seven days on May 24, 2018, in the intervening period she alleged she had a harrowing time as she was insulted and shown in poor light in the group messages.



Divya Spandana had called the allegations "false and without any basis, that there is no truth to it. She never told me anything related to it".

Divya had tweeted regarding the matter in July 2018.

"Regarding the allegations: The Social Media Dept has set up an Internal Committee and as per the provisions of the Act, the Internal Committee is already investigating the complaint. In view of the confidentiality of the investigation, no further comments will be made."

- Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) July 31, 2018

Sources said that the victim never mentioned anything of this nature in her parting mail to Divya Spandana or in her interview to the HR. In the mail, she mentioned that she "loved working here", that she "trusted" her and held her in "high regard" and thanked her for giving an "opportunity to work for the party".

In response to the story, Chirag Patnaik said that the deletion of his and Divya Spandana's accounts "was unrelated and uncoordinated." Patnaik also said, "The Internal Complaints Committee inquiry [on the charges of sexual harassment] has recommended no action against me and that puts me in the clear."

An ANI agency input said Chirag Patnaik was arrested last week. The input has been found incorrect. So the reference to his arrest has been removed from this report. The complainant had accused to Chirag Patnaik of sexual harassment, not assault. An earlier version of the copy based on agency input used the word assault. It has been changed to sexual harassment.

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