SC finds HP CEO guilty in BPO rape-murder case

Bangalore: Two-and-a-half years ago, Pratibha Murthy, an employee of a BPO company was killed in Bangalore. Now the Supreme Court has said that the then-CEO of the company, Hewlett Packard Som Mittal should be prosecuted.
Pratibha’s parents, who spent the past two years in and out of courts seeking justice, are taking some comfort from the Supreme Court order on Wednesday, which found that Mittal should be held responsible for negligence.
“A man who heads any institution is always responsible, whether he's in the institution or outside the institution, negligence is negligence. It's associated with them, it's caused by them,” said Pratibha's uncle, S Srinivasa.
The former CEO, who is now president of Nasscom, is accused of violating a Karnataka government order that directed companies employing women in night shifts to provide security for them during their travel home.
For the thousands of women working in BPOs across India, the Supreme Court order would mean safer night shifts.
“Companies will be more alert now. They know they have to take action or they'll be convicted,” stated National Commission for Women’s spokesperson, Nirmala Venkatesh.
Prathiba’s case has set a precedent like none other for the BPO industry. Other women in the BPO industry can at least take heart now that their security is not at stake when they work.