Ahmedabad based NGO chief Hassan Johar, has been reportedly booked on charges of sexual harassment. As reported by DeshGujarat, the complainant is a 33-year old Gandhinagar resident who moved here from Bihar. In her complaint, she alleged that she had applied for the job at Johar’s NGO and her interview was conducted on 10th October 2020. Johar runs an NGO called SPART (Society for Promoting Rationality) in Ahmedabad.
The victim alleged that she joined SPART on 13th October 2020 and was asked to pay Rs 43,000 as deposit for HR policy. Since she was unable to pay the amount, she deposited her original documents. The woman alleged that Johar had asked her to additionally work in HR department too which she denied. She would have frequent verbal spats with him for the same, she said.
She further alleged that Johar would indulge in indecent behaviour and would say that he needed a partner for sex. Upon finding opportunities, Johar would hug her and hold her hands. Adding that he would indulge in indecent talks with her, she said that he told her that he would masturbate when he gets bored. She alleged that he would ask if she has a boyfriend and has sex.
Tired of the harassment, she resigned on 12th December and demanded the original documents are returned to her. However, he has not returned the documents.
The woman has named five witnesses including a woman in her complaint.
Hassan Johar’s past complaints
Earlier in March 2019, a 44 year old man had filed a police complaint alleging that Johar cheated him and breached his trust by demanding Rs 50,000 to return the original documents he submitted while taking up a job. Nilabh Mishra, a native of Bihar and living in Ahmedabad, had alleged that he had submitted his original documents like Aadhaar, passport and driving licence while taking up a job in April 2017. However, he quit within a week as he fell unwell. When Mishra demanded the documents, Johar allegedly demanded money.
Hassan Johar ex-husband of ‘activist’ Zakia Soman
Hassan Johar is ex-husband of Zakia Soman, founding member of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, a ‘human rights movement’.
He has been booked under section 354A(i) of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures.