Sotheby’s MD Gaurav Bhatia sent on leave in the wake of #MeToo calls

A week ahead of its mega inaugural auction in India, auction house Sotheby’s has sent its Managing Director for the region, Gaurav Bhatia, on leave pending an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment.

So far four different complainants, all of them anonymous, have taken to social media to complain about Bhatia’s sexual misconduct. These allegations range from touching the alleged victims inappropriately, from forcibly trying to kiss them, and physically assaulting one of them in a hotel room in 2014. Two of the four complainants are male.

In response to these allegations made over the course of the last ten days, Sotheby’s issued a statement on Thursday saying, “In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues. Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation. Our colleagues, under the leadership of Edward Gibbs, chairman, Middle East & India, and Yamini Mehta, International Head of Indian and South Asian Art, are focused on Sotheby’s forthcoming auction.”



Bhatia, a well-known figure in south Mumbai’s social set, has also appointed a legal counsel, and has been maintaining a low profile since these allegations surfaced. He missed the cocktail organised by the Mumbai Art Room on Monday night at socialite Roohi Jaikishan’s home. Both Bhatia and she are trustees of the enterprise. He will also miss collector Kavita Singh’s dinner for fellow art collectors on November 25 just ahead of the auction.