SriLankan faces two more cases in India

Former Airline Manager was recently convicted 

• conviction of Lalith de Silva on the charge of outraging the modesty of a female employee
• when an Indian employee claims that she was harassed in India the employer, needs to follow Indian laws
• SriLankan Airlines says no evidence to justify sexual harassment allegations against the former airline official

By Easwaran Rutnam   

Sri Lanka’s national carrier, SriLankan Airlines is facing at least two more court cases in India after a former regional manager of SriLankan Airlines was recently convicted after being accused of an alleged sexual harassment of a former Indian employee of the airline.   

In  a case filed by the New Delhi Police, the former airline senior official was recently convicted under section 509 of Indian Penal Code. Sentencing has been fixed for November 17, 2020.   

In  the second case, SriLankan Airlines has been accused of failing to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee as per the POSH Act (The sexual harassment of women at workplace Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013) in relation to the sexual harassment claim. That case is at final stage and listed for hearing on October 1, 2020.   

The victim challenged the finding of the ICC and also her termination and that case has been listed for hearing on November 5, 2020

In the third case, the victim has challenged  the finding of the ICC and also her termination and that case has been listed for hearing on November 5, 2020. 

 
Ajay Verma, the lawyer appearing on behalf of the alleged victim, told the Daily Mirror that when an Indian employee claims that she was harassed in India the employer, in this case SriLankan Airlines, needs to follow Indian laws.   

A Delhi Court recently ordered the conviction of Lalith de Silva Former Regional Manager (India) of SriLankan Airlines on the charge of outraging the modesty of a female employee. Metropolitan Magistrate Dev Saroha, at the Patiala House Court pronounced the verdict through video conferencing and will decide the quantum of sentence on November 17, 2020.   

However, SriLankan Airlines issued a statement later saying an inquiry had found there was no evidence to justify sexual harassment allegations made by the former employee against the former airline official. SriLankan Airlines also said  that it was compelled to terminate the services of the female employee on disciplinary grounds following the due procedure in terms of laws in India.