Gujarat Police has registered a case against a businesswoman for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old Dalit man for demanding his salary after working for her company for a fortnight. She demanded an apology from the man by holding her footwear in his mouth, an official said.
Morbi City's 'A' division police filed a first information report (FIR) against the woman and at least six others based on the complaint lodged by the victim. The woman has been identified as Vibhuti Patel aka Raniba and others including her brother Om Patel and manager Parikshit, said Pratipalsinh Zala, Deputy Superintendent of Police (SC/ST Cell).
Vibhuti Patel is the owner of Raniba Industries Pvt Ltd, which has an office in a commercial complex at Ravapar Crossroad. In the beginning of October, she hired the victim, who is into tiles marketing, on a monthly salary of Rs 12,000, the FIR said.
However, on October 18, she suddenly sacked him. When the victim sought his salary for 16 days that he worked in the company, Patel did not give a clear answer and then stopped responding to his calls, it said. "When he, his brother and neighbour Bhavesh went to Patel's office on Wednesday evening, the businesswoman's brother Om Patel reached the place with his accomplices and started assaulting the trio," Zala said.
Vibhuti Patel also slapped and dragged him to the terrace of the commercial complex, the FIR said. The accused, including Parikshit Patel, Om Patel and six to seven unidentified men, beat him with belts and also kicked and punched him, it said. The complainant alleged that Vibhuti Patel forced him to take her footwear in his mouth and made him apologise for demanding salary. She also threatened to get him killed if he is seen in the Ravapar Crossroad area again.
They also shot a video and forced him to say that he came to Vibhuti's office to extort money. In a video, the accused are seen forcing the victim to apologise for demanding salary from the businesswoman. After returning home, the Dalit man was taken to Morbi civil hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment, the police said.
"All the accused were booked on the charges of assault, criminal intimidation, rioting and under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," Zala said. Investigation into the case is underway, he said, adding that no arrest has been made yet.
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