The filing of a First Information Report (FIR) by the Thane (Rural) Police against Tata Steel official Prabhat Sharma and registration of an offence under Section 306 of the IPC for abetment of the suicide of former journalist and PR executive Charudatta Deshpande, though inordinately delayed, has been welcomed by the Press Club, Mumbai. Home Minister R R Patil had ordered a police investigation after the Press Club, senior journalists and other corporate colleagues drew his attention to the suspicious circumstances and threats that Charu Deshpande faced at his work place in Tata Steel, Jamshedpur before he took his life on June 28, this year.
After days of investigation and interrogation of over 47 witnesses, the joint Crime Branch (Mumbai) and Thane (Rural) team of police officers stumbled upon a large body of evidence. This included diary notings by Charu and depositions by colleagues and journalists that clearly pointed to an orchestrated harassment by a set of Tata Steel persons aimed at humiliating and pushing him out from as Head – corporate communications for Tata Steel. A detailed statement by former editor of Forbes India, Indrajit Gupta, shed light on how much of this harassment was triggered by an article in Forbes for which Charu was suspected to have leaked confidential material.
Despite clinching pointers to the role of these Tata Steel officials in Charu’s death, the case was proceeding slowly, and there was concern among journalists both in Mumbai and Jamshedpur that the probe was being deliberately derailed. This concern was voiced by the Press Club to the state government. Thereafter, the police machinery was cranked up, and the Vasai Police (under whose jurisdiction the Charu’s unfortunate death took place) went ahead and formally registered an FIR and has launched a fresh investigation.
Considering that 143 days have passed since Charu passed away, and that sizeable evidence has already been gathered, the Press Club calls upon the police to take speedy action to nail the culprits and bring them to justice.
The Press Club also commends the role of former Forbes editor Indrajit Gupta for taking the initiative to file a detailed complaint. Gupta was Charu’s friend and confidante, and the complaint has reconstructed the entire trauma and humiliation Charu had been subjected to. It is this complaint that has provided the crucial link for the filing of the FIR.
Meanwhile, there is still no sign of the Internal Investigation Report of Tata Steel. It may be recalled that after Charu’s death a large number of senior persons had written to Chairman of Tata Sons, Cyrus Mistry, demanding an impartial Inquiry. Mistry responded with alacrity and set up a board of inquiry of company persons promising to release the findings in 3 months time. Unfortunately, even after 5 months and several written reminders by the Press Club, the investigation findings have not been released.
It may be mentioned in this regard that the demands of the Press Club to make the investigation impartial and fair were not heeded to. The Press Club at various stages requested for setting out the terms of Inquiry; to keep its sittings open; and to be allowed to present witnesses for deposition. These requests were met with a stony silence, giving rise to the suspicion that the findings of the Inquiry could be a whitewash.
Justice must be seen to be done, and In this respect, the Press Club hopes Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry will indeed seek to get to the root of how and who was responsible for snuffing out Charu Deshpande’s life.
President Press Club, Mumbai Mumbai
