Bengaluru: Engineering graduate wants to quit, but firm says no way

Bengaluru: A starry-eyed 22-year-old engineering graduate from Shivamogga, who joined a company in the city to pursue his career, was threatened with a sexual harassment case by his superior woman officer, made to do menial jobs and had his original certificates withheld by the company after he filed a police complaint against the company for withholding his certificates.

The victim, Vishnu Prabhav (name changed), wanted to quit MJM Fine Enclosures on Bommasandra Jigani Link Road, soon after joining, as he was allegedly made to do menial jobs, like loading, unloading, packaging and maintenance works.

Prabhav, a mechanical engineer, joined the company, in July this year. The company does fabrication works including laser cutting, welding, punching and bending. “I was recruited by the company along with 10 others and we were given the designation of trainee production. But soon after induction and orientation, we were gradually asked to do menial jobs,” alleged Prabhav.

“Around 7 to 8 people, who had joined with me, quit after realising that the nature of work did not suit them. They had submitted duplicates, instead of original certificates with the company, and they had no problem leaving,” Prabhav said.

“I continued with the job, though it was menial, thinking that some day, the situation could improve. But I realised that it would not happen and I decided to resign in September,” Prabhav told Deccan Chronicle. “When the management came to know that I was quitting, they started harassing me. They told me that I would not be able to get any of my original certificates, eliminating all possibilities of me joining any other company,” he said.

Desperate, he filed a complaint with the Jigani police, requesting the police to retrieve his certificates. Some police constables went to the company with Prabhav, but company COO Tripti Jairath told the police that Prabhav tried to misbehave with her during office hours. The police were also told that Prabhav had damaged some of the company’s tools, an the company had to recover money from him.

“We do not keep any original certificates of our employees. The said employee tried to misbehave with me and I am approaching the women’s cell to lodge a complaint against him. He has been harassing me over a period of time and I can speak only in front of the police on how he harassed me,” Tripti Jairath told Deccan Chronicle.