An FIR for abetment to suicide was registered against senior staff members and owners of music company and production house T-Series after an employee for 23 years died by suicide in Gurgaon, alleging harassment.
Manoj Kumar, 47, was found dead at a company-owned property in Sobha International City in Sector 109 on September 16. His family in Delhi alerted the police when he did not return home.
The police said, a few hours before his death, Manoj Kumar sent a video to his wife, Rekha Rani, in which he alleged mental harassment by his senior and also named the company’s MD and his female employee. In the video, Kumar claimed that his senior had threatened him and referred to influential connections, including a gangster. The video reportedly did not state the exact nature of harassment.
On its part, a press release issued by T-Series states:
“We confirm the untimely demise of Mr. Manoj Kumar, who was working with us. We stand with his family in this moment of grief and remain committed to supporting them in every possible way.
“However, we clarify that Mr. Manoj Kumar was not a caretaker of the flat in which the unfortunate incident leading to his demise took place. He used to do field jobs in Delhi-NCR for the company, such as showing various flats belonging to the company to prospective tenants. On the unfortunate day of his demise, it was for this reason that he had gone to the flat in Gurgaon (which is registered in the name of the company and not in the name of any individual senior member of the company) where the incident occurred.
“Having said that, we strongly refute the baseless and malicious allegation that any senior member of the company had, in any shape or form, harassed him at any point in time. In fact, Mr. Manoj Kumar, in the normal course of his duties, had no occasion to interact with senior management, and indeed did not interact with them. Any suggestion to the contrary is wholly untrue.
“As a responsible organisation, we will cooperate fully with any official inquiry. At this stage, however, we refrain from making any further comments, as we await complete information to be gathered and made available to us.
“Our immediate priority remains to extend full support to Mr. Manoj Kumar’s family during this difficult period.”
