Herald-HCN snaps ties with Samant, assures probe into sexual harassment
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 28 September 2015 23:09 IST
Herald Group has snapped ties with Rupesh Samant, a senior journalist facing charges of sexual harassment, stating that it will not engage him with its HCN TV channel or any capacity till the case is finalised by the court.
The media group has also assured to initiate an inquiry into the complaints through internal committee against sexual harassment, which has been set up recently.
Samant, presently facing two serious complaints by women journalists working at HCN TV channel of Herald Group, was a part-time anchor of the channel while officially he is the Goa bureau chief of PTI, a national news agency.
The management of Herald Group has posted a detailed explanation regarding its stand on the issue on its official Facebook page.
(Click here to read the FB post of Herald)
“Following the first letter we have issued to Samant immediately after the complaint, we further state that we will not engage with Rupesh Samant at all during the pendency of the investigation, trial and final orders in any capacity”, stated the FB post.
The FB post has also released the letter issued to him earlier, which states that his activities with HCN were suspended for the first 30 days soon after the first complaint was filed on 24 September.
Samant, who was anchoring several programme on HCN including Hot Seat, is facing charges of sexual harassment to women journalists working under him during a brief period he was working in 2012 and then again since last year.
“We shall not only support the investigation with all out means but also encourage the complainants who have lodged FIRs and any others to come forward and complain to our Internal Complaints Committee which has been set up to pursue our own investigation,” states the Herald management.
The management, in the post, has also claimed that it was not aware of any such complaint or the activities of sexual harassment Samant was involved in.
“We reiterate that at no point of time was the management aware of any activity pertaining to the broad nature of charges levelled in the complaints against Samant. We assure you that very strict action would have followed post-inquiry.”
Herald cannot shut off their responsibilities just by snapping ties with a criminal minded reporter. The internal committee constituted by Herald should visit Rupesh Samant's house and conduct investigation as there is possibility of getting some clues from his laptop or computer. Herald should do this as it is one of the oldest paper and set an example for others.