A court notice has been issued to the principal of Delhi's Kalindi College for reportedly "harassing and tormenting" the college's senior accounts officer. Rejecting the claims, the principal, Naina Hasija, referred to the legal notice as a "personal vendetta" and said that the officer was caught stealing vital documents on May 11.
The notice was sent on Sunday, May 29, by the wife of Amit Gupta, the accounts officer, through their lawyer to Hasija, College Assistant Consultant Anil Kumar Butan and officiating SPA to the principal Bhawna Munjal.
The notice accused the three of initiating "illegal measures" and issuing "threats" against Gupta and sought an unconditional apology to the college's senior accounts officer. The notice stated, "Immediately cease and desist yourself from harassing, torturing and giving undue mental stress to the husband of our client apart from your official capacity."
Hasija, on the other hand, stated, "This is a personal vendetta. Why would I harass him? There are 100 officers in the college. Nobody says that they are being harassed. Why only he? He is a highly inefficient officer. He was not coming to the office for weeks after getting caught red-handed stealing documents on May 11. We have sent several notices to him to come to the college."
The officer's wife had given the principal a legal notice for the second time in around two months. She had sent a similar notification in March, documenting the principal's alleged "harassment". "Despite the receipt of legal notice dated 10-03-2022, you have not bothered yourself to make any improvement in your actions and deeds which are contrary to law and showcase your narcissist behaviour," the notice read.
The principal had written to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana earlier this month, requesting that an FIR be filed against Amit Gupta for alleged "theft" of official materials. She has accused Gupta of "scanning important secret" financial documents.
"I want to request you to lodge a complaint to register an FIR today against Amit Gupta, SO Accounts, who have been caught red-handed today while scanning old documents and bills passed by the undersigned at 5:10 pm," Hasija wrote in a letter to Asthana on May 11. "The documents and bills were scanned under his orders in the accounts department and were being prepared for sending through email to someone. These are important secret financial documents and nobody outside the college requires any of them," she said.
A Kalindi College teacher said Gupta had not been coming to the office since he was "harassed" by the principal on May 11. "She accused him of stealing and abused him in front of all staff. When he left the college, she made the guards go after him. She has been constantly misbehaving with the officer," the teacher told PTI.
The legal notice demanded the principal "give an assurance in writing that nothing will happen to the life, property and reputation" of Gupta. "Compensate our client for the mental stress and pain she faced at the physical and mental condition of her husband, which was caused because of your illegal and unlawful actions," it added.
