By late evening four staffers of the store, all section in-charges, were arrested by the crime branch, who has been handed over the investigation, and the MD, CEO and regional manager of Fabindia have been called for questioning on Saturday, SP (crime) Karthik Kashyap told TOI.
Irani, who noticed the camera, rushed out of the cubicle, raising an alarm. She informed her husband who in turn confronted the staff of the store and demanded that they show the CCTV footage. He also called up the local BJP legislator, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who in turn called the police.
The CCTV camera was installed high on a wall just outside the trial room and the lens was focused into the trial room through a foot-high ventilation gap on the side of the trial room cubicle, described sources.
While the head and neck-shoulder portion of the minister is visible as she tries out an outfit, the camera is placed in such a manner that the person's back and the reflection in the mirror is also visible, sources added.
While in Irani's case the mirror's reflection is not visible, this is visible in the case of other women customers. The store's staff told the police that the CCTV camera had been installed after a spate of thefts, and police, on checking past CCTV footage found that the camera had been taking videos of women trying out clothes in the cubicle for the last couple of months.
Irani probably spotted the camera in the mirror and then turned towards it, because the video footage shows her turning towards the camera and then storming out of the trial room, said sources.
"This is nonsense. This is happening all over. There are people who take videos of you like this when your body is exposed and then try to defame you," Irani is reported to have said to Lobo and the police. She left the store soon after giving her statement to the police, returning to the hotel in Baga where she is staying.
Lobo, who is also BJP's North Goa president, lodged a complaint on behalf of Irani with the Calangute police.
Police have arrested Paresh Bhagat, 26, resident of Mandrem in Pernem, Raju Payanache, 24, native of Belagavi, Karanataka, Prashant Naik, 20 resident of Verem in Bardez and Karim Lakhani, 24, resident of Khorlim in Bardez. All accused are section in-charges at the store
They have been arrested under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 C (voyeurism), and 509 (intruding privacy) of the IPC and Section 66 E (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
In his complaint, Lobo has stated, "My complaint is against the management, staff and CCTV operator for installing the CCTV camera in such a way that (it) can capture images of persons while changing clothes in the trial room. This may also capture nude and semi-nude images secretly."
A police officer said that if Fabindia's MD, CEO and regional manager do not arrive in Goa on Saturday, then special teams will be constituted and sent to Mumbai and Bengaluru in search of them.
The CCTV camera and equipment have been attached by the police, who have also recorded the statement of the store's staff.
"It's quite sad and bad. We can see people removing their clothes. This is invasion of a person's privacy," said Lobo.
Staffers told police that the CCTV camera was installed because of thefts by tourists. "They go inside the trial rooms with four items and come out with three, making away with an item by concealing it under their clothes. Just last week we caught a Russian tourist red-handed. When the items disappear the cost is deducted from staff salaries," a staffer said. The manager is currently on leave.
Hearing about what had happened to Irani, a number of state BJP leaders rushed to the spot. Besides Lobo, BJP mahila chief Kundan Chodankar, BJP state vice-president Sadanand Tanavade, Sakhali MLA Pramod Sawant and others rushed to Candolim. "This is not right. It's an invasion of a person's privacy," Tanavade, who viewed the CCTV footage, said.
Sawant said this incident shows citizens need to be alert and need to bring such matters immediately to the notice of authorities. "It's because Iraniji is alert that the incident came to light," said Sawant.
http://ift.tt/1kzqBiy Irani,Fabindia,BJP
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
No comments:
Post a Comment