AIFF secretary Kushal Das molested staff at office: Ranjit Bajaj

Entrepreneur Ranjit Bajaj, who owned I-League membership Minerva Punjab FC, on Monday alleged that All India Football Federation (AIFF) General Secretary Kushal Das had molested staff at office, a cost outrightly rejected by the nationwide physique and its high official.

Bajaj, who bought off Minerva Punjab FC in 2020 after proudly owning it for seven years, stated there have been “two cases of molestation of employees at workplace” and the top of the committee which offers with sexual harassment complaints on the AIFF was “forced by president Praful Patel to bury the report”.

“…Kushal Das RESIGN Or I will be revealing details about you which have been buried by @praful_patel #METOO #metooindia enuf is enuf,” Bajaj tweeted.

“…two cases of molestation of his employees at the workplace …head of madatory (mandatory) sexual harassment complaint officer of AIFF & he was forced to bury the report by @praful_patel.”

….cont …Kushal Das RESIGN Or I might be revealing particulars about you which of them have been buried by @praful_patel #METOO #metooindia enuf is enuf-you are a monster who must be shut down-won’t let you destroy lives like this anymore-see @jaydeepbasu tweets on this matter…cont

— Ranjit Bajaj (@THE_RanjitBajaj) April 25, 2022

Later, chatting with PTI, Bajaj stated, “I am not making any allegations against the federation. This is against an individual and he can go to court, make an affidavit. Let him come up with a denial, he must respond in his personal capacity instead of using the Aiff PR machinery.”

Das stated no such criticism has reached the AIFF committee within the final 10 years.

“There is always a women’s cell in the AIFF to look into any kind of allegations like these and there are no such allegations in the last 10 years,” Das informed PTI.

“But let the women’s cell look into the allegations he has made and give a report before I say something and before the executive committee takes a decision.”

The AIFF, on its half, stood behind its high official and stated it should take “appropriate legal action against the concerned individual”.

“All statements and allegations made are false and fabricated, and made without an iota of evidence in support of the same. Further, no such complaints and/or concerns were received by the Internal Complaints Committee constituted by the AIFF as per the PoSH Act, 2013,” the AIFF stated in an announcement.

“The AIFF follows a robust moral code of conduct throughout the organisation, making certain the safety and well-being of all its workers members.

“The allegations made by Mr Bajaj are defamatory in nature, causing harm not only to Mr Das but also to the entire footballing fraternity in India. In consideration of the same, the AIFF has considered it prudent to take appropriate legal action against the concerned individual.”

The AIFF stated it should additionally refer the matter to the Executive Committee, and likewise to the AGM for acceptable motion.

Jyotsna Gupta, the present head of the Internal Complaints Committee stated she or her panel has not acquired any criticism in opposition to Das or any AIFF official.

“As head of the committee, I have not received any such report (of sexual harassment) against the general secretary or against any official of the AIFF,” Gupta stated.

“It was a shock to me that somebody would make such allegations against the GS. The workplace at the AIFF is safe and secure for women.”

Shantha Gopinath, who headed the committee earlier than Gupta took over final 12 months, stated she had not acquired any complaints in opposition to Das.

Nandini Arora, Project Director, Local Organising Committee of the 2022 ladies’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, additionally stated that the feminine workers of the LOC haven’t confronted any situation whereas working with Das.

After promoting off Minerva Punjab FC, which is now competing within the I-League as Roundglass Punjab FC, Bajaj is now operating Minerva Academy Football Club in Mohali. He has a historical past of run-ins with the AIFF which had suspended him for one 12 months in 2018 after being discovered ‘guilty’ of creating racist remarks in opposition to a referee.

In 2019, the AIFF reprimanded Bajaj for his robust feedback in opposition to the AIFF on social media.