Delhi High Court objects to Union Bank Executive Director appointment despite sexual harassment case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday questioned the appointment of Pankaj Dwivedi as Executive Director of the Union Bank of India despite a sexual harassment chargesheet pending against him..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned the counsel appearing for the Central government about how Dwivedi could be appointed to the post without clearance from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).“How is this possible? In today’s atmosphere… You will require vigilance clearance. The big picture has to be looked at and if the vigilance clearance is denied how is he appointed? You should not have appointed him without getting prior clearance,” the Court remarked.The Court then proceeded to issue notice to the Central Government, CVC, and Dwivedi and directed them to file their replies.The case will be heard again on October 4..The Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by a woman against Dwivedi’s appointment.She challenged the appointment on the ground that he had sexually harassed her and a chargesheet based on her complaint and first information report (FIR) has also been filed against him.Advocate Prashant Bhushan appeared for the petitioner and told the Bench that as per the rules, a person cannot be appointed to a senior post like Executive Director of a major public sector bank like Union Bank without vigilance clearance and such appointments cannot be made if any chargesheets is pending against them.Bhushan said that in Dwivedi’s case, the appointment was made without the vigilance clearance and after he assumed charge, CVC denied him vigilance clearance.He added that Dwivedi is a very influential person and it was because of his influence that the petitioner was transferred. This transfer was quashed by the High Court and the Supreme Court, Bhushan said..The Bench remarked that no one can game the system and told the government that if remedial measures are to be taken, it should be done at the earliest.