A recent video has surfaced featuring Rohan Mehta, an eight-year veteran of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), detailing a series of allegations regarding corruption and sexual harassment within the ministry. Mehta's account primarily focuses on his experiences during his tenure at the Indian Consulate General in São Paulo, Brazil.
This report aims to present the allegations as described by Rohan Mehta (Link to the Video)
Allegations in São Paulo
Mehta alleges that during his time in São Paulo, he witnessed severe workplace harassment by the Head Consul General, Manisha Swami. According to Mehta, Swami would frequently shout at employees, misuse resources, and create a hostile work environment. He also claims that another employee, Adarsh Kumar Mishra, was involved in sexual harassment of Brazilian women. Mehta provides recordings as evidence to support these claims.
Mehta further alleges that despite complaints against Mishra, no action was taken by Swami. He suggests that Swami's inaction was motivated by her need for inefficient employees to justify her own performance. Additionally, Mehta claims that he faced harassment from Swami and other colleagues, including Gayatri Gosain, who he alleges was prodded by Swami to file false complaints against him.
Mehta explains that Swami's modus operandi involved arriving at the office in the morning, shouting at employees, misusing resources, and then leaving for the day. This behavior continued for three years, during which Swami earned a substantial salary from public funds. Mehta also mentions that Swami would occasionally return to the office for the last half hour of the day, but not always.
Retaliation and Obstruction
Following his complaints, Mehta claims he faced retaliation in the form of false accusations of sexual harassment and fabricated disciplinary actions. He also alleges that his marriage application was withheld as part of this retaliation. Mehta was engaged to a foreign national and required approval from the MEA, which he claims was delayed due to his complaints against Swami and Mishra.
Mehta states that despite multiple complaints to various authorities within the MEA, including the vigilance section and senior officials, investigations were either stalled or mishandled. He claims that officials either denied wrongdoing or downplayed the severity of the issues. Recordings of conversations with MEA officials are mentioned as corroborating these claims.
Wider Corruption Allegations
Mehta's viral tweets also revealed broader corruption allegations within the MEA. These include a sevenfold increase in rent for the Indian Embassy in Baghdad, a rape case in Istanbul involving an Ambassador and a maid, physical assault of a wife by an MEA employee in Cambodia, and financial irregularities leading to the promotion of Rupa Paul after being recalled from Austria.
Allegations Against Senior Diplomats
Mehta connects his experiences to alleged corruption by senior diplomats, including S Jaishankar. He highlights Jaishankar's attendance at President Trump's inauguration despite the Indian Prime Minister's absence as a sign of disloyalty. However, it is crucial to note that these are allegations made by Mehta and should be considered as part of his narrative.
Last portion of the illegal and baseless memorandum pic.twitter.com/sfJ6U2ORuN— Rohan (@Rohan7187) February 25, 2025
MEA's Response and Mehta's Actions
The MEA's response to Mehta's allegations involved inaction, counter-accusations, and attempts to discredit him, culminating in his suspension. Mehta's efforts to report the misconduct included internal complaints, reaching out to politicians, filing
RTIs, and ultimately going public via social media and the video.
Mehta concludes by appealing to Prime Minister Modi and Rahul Gandhi to address systemic corruption within the MEA and to protect whistleblowers. He also apologizes to his fiancée and her family for the ordeal they endured. Various documents and recordings are provided as evidence to support his claims.
Detailed Account of Retaliation
Mehta details a specific instance where he was asked to respond to a sexual harassment complaint filed by Gayatri Gosain. He claims that Gosain's complaint was baseless and part of a larger effort to harass him. Mehta asserts that he had always treated Gosain with respect and that the complaint was an attempt to intimidate him.
After returning to India, Mehta claims that he faced further retaliation. He was given a document opening a fake case against him, alleging that his fiancée was living with him in Brazil, which Mehta denies. He provided proof that his fiancée was not living with him and submitted a corruption complaint to the vigilance section, but no action was taken.
Mehta also mentions a recording with a section officer named Kaushal, where Kaushal allegedly admitted that action is often taken against those who complain against senior officers rather than against the corrupt officers themselves. Mehta claims that this recording supports his allegations of obstruction and retaliation.
Marriage Application and Personal Life
Mehta alleges that his marriage application was withheld by B Vanlalvawna, citing a vigilance case against him. However, Mehta claims that this case was unrelated to his marriage application and was a ploy to interfere with his personal life due to his complaints against Swami.
Mehta explains that for marriage approval involving a foreign national, security clearance is required. He states that his fiancée's clearance was processed quickly due to Brazil's efficient system, but the MEA delayed his application despite having all necessary documents.
Conclusion
This report presents Mehta's allegations as described in his video. It is essential for readers to consider these allegations within the context of Mehta's narrative and to await any official responses or investigations that may arise from these claims. The allegations highlight the need for transparency and accountability within government institutions to protect whistleblowers and address systemic corruption.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
*The views expressed are personal to the author and do not reflect the platform's opinion of the same.
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