Posing as HR, man sexually abuses job aspirant at MNC

Bengaluru, May 26: When 25-year-old Mary, a native of Mangaluru, landed in city for a job interview for an MNC bank on Bannerghatta Road, little did she know what horror was in store for her.

The B.Com graduate was attending her final round of interview for the post of a customer support executive.

When she was waiting for her results, she got a call — from an unknown number — and the strangely the caller claimed to be from HR. Identifying himself as Rohan, he allegedly asked Mary to come out of the bank to discuss "an important issue".

Once she went outside the premises, the person said that she had failed in the interview and he would help her get the job, nevertheless.

Pacifying her, the alleged HR person invited Mary to his house for "further discussions'. When she refused, he asked her to get into his car. Taken aback, she once again rejected his advances. Worse was in store: the person, yet to be identified, started pulling her in public.

Gaining courage, Mary escaped from his clutches, returned to the bank and reported about the incident to bank authorities. To her shock, she was told that there was no such person in HR and she was informed that she had been selected for the job.

However, Mary rejected the offer. Again on May 23, the bank called her to know her final decision, but Mary decided not to join.

The victim filed a complaint with the MICO Layout police. "The incident happened last Monday. I went to the bank at Arakere on BG Road for the interview at around 3 pm and the main recruiter took my interview.

Subsequently, two more managers took my interview. By the time the interview got over, it was 6 pm. I was asked to wait for the results. Around 7 pm, a person, identifying himself as Rohan, called me, claiming to be from the HR team.

When I went to talk to him after crossing the road, he said that I had failed in the interview, but he can still get me a job. He invited me to his house.

When I refused, he said that he could not hear my voice properly due to traffic and asked me to get into his car. When I said no, he misbehaved with me in public," the victim told BM. The MICO Layout police registered a case of sexual harassment.

"Since the caller had all her information, he is definitely an insider. Since previous round of interviews were held at a consultancy, the accused could be possibly even from the firm.

We are checking the details of the accused based on the phone number which he had spoken to the victim," said an officer.