CLEARED OF ALLEGATIONS

Rahul Johri to remain BCCI CEO after sexual harassment probe

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

"Mr. Rahul Johri should continue as the CEO of BCCI and resume his duties, as a natural consequence." © Getty

Rahul Johri, the BCCI CEO who was asked to go on a forced leave for the last three weeks owing to sexual harassment allegations made against him, is set to resume office with the CoA - comprising Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji - divided on the action to be taken against him following the findings of an independent inquiry committee.

The allegations surfaced as part of the #MeToo campaign on social media, which made public several allegations of sexual abuse/harassment against women by Johri.

While two members of the inquiry committee recommended that no action be taken against Johri, a third member recommended that he "undergo some form of gender sensitivity counselling/ training."

Findings and recommendations of the independent panel

Justice Sharma, chairman of the committee and a former judge of the Allahabad High Court said: "The complainants have failed to provide their cases as set up by them and we (me and Smt. Barkha Singh) are of the opinion that Mr. Rahul Johri has not abused his powers. The allegations of sexual harassment in the office or elsewhere are false, baseless and have been fabricated and manufactured with an ulterior motive to harm Mr. Rahul Johri and throw him out of BCCI as indicated in some communications, and reactions expressed in the e-mails, statements in the press.

"There has to be a balancing of the rights just as the complainant women have a right, the respondent-CEO also has a right and in these circumstances and facts of the case, we are not ready to hold him guilty of the charges. He appears to be innocent." Sharma was stated as saying according to an extract of his report published on bcci.tv as part of CoA documentation.

"He may be allowed to function as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BCCI as before. No adverse action need to be taken against Mr. Rahul Johri, CEO, BCCI, on the basis of these mischievous, false, fabricated, unsubstantiated complaints, e-mails, tweets etc on social media," stated the findings of Justice Sharma, which were concurred by Barkha Singh, another member of the panel.

Barkha Singh, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, who had agreed with Justice Sharma's findings, stated that the allegations would set a precedent that would "diminish the status of women and the job opportunity for them." Barkha Singh also recommended the constitution of a "Grievance redressal committee/ cell" by the BCCI to look into the interests of women employees.

Meanwhile, Veena Gowda, an advocate and an external member of the independent panel, differed with the recommendations made by the other two members and highlighted Johri's conduct in an unspecified incident Birmingham as part of her recommendations :

"The Conduct of Mr. Rahul Johri at Birmingham, as a CEO of an institution such as BCCI is unprofessional and inappropriate which would adversely affect its reputation and the same has to be looked at by the concerned authorities. In view of his conduct at Birmingham as well as keeping in mind the allegations made by Ms. X and his conduct before this Committee with respect to the photographs submitted, it is essential that Mr. Johri undergo some form of gender sensitivity counselling/ training."

CoA's decision based on the findings and recommendations

Going by the findings of Justice Sharma and Barkha Singh, chairman of CoA Vinod Rai was of the opinion that "no adverse action is warranted" against Johri, who should be allowed to resume office.

"The clear inference from this recommendation is that, going forward, Mr. Johri needs to be counselled as aforesaid but there is no recommendation to take any other action against him," was Vinod Rai's opinion on Gowda's recommendations.

On the other hand, Diana Edulji, who had already called for the removal of Johri even before the formation of the panel - citing that the nature of the allegations were sufficient grounds for removal - disagreed with the findings and recommendations of Justice Sharma and Barkha Singh. Pointing towards the findings and recommendations of Veena Gowda, Diana Edulji felt that the verdict of the panel was a 2:1 split, and that Johri should be asked to resign.

"Ms. Edulji said that the fact that Ms. Gowda has recommended that Mr. Johri should undergo gender sensitization counselling/ training is sufficient for her to arrive at the conclusion that he is not fit to be the CEO of BCCI," said the statement.

However, with both Rai and Edulji split in their opinion over the issue, Johri was allowed to resume office as CEO of BCCI.

"Since there is no consensus between the two members of the Committee of Administrators regarding what action should be taken against Mr. Rahul Johri, the Chairman [Vinod Rai] stated that the natural consequence would be that Mr. Johri continues as the CEO of BCCI and is entitled resume office. Ms. [Diana] Edulji disagreed with this. However, the Chairman reiterated that Mr. Rahul Johri should continue as the CEO of BCCI and resume his duties, as a natural consequence," was the conclusion of the CoA.

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