Firms should ensure safety of women on the night shift: HC

The Bombay high court on Monday said companies that gave graveyard shifts to women should ensure their safety.

The Bombay high court on Monday said companies that gave graveyard shifts to women should ensure their safety.

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A division bench of justice V M Kanade and justice PD Kode observed that it is the responsibility of the company concerned to ensure that the women employees reach home safely.

The observations came while hearing the death sentence confirmation of two accused convicted for rape and murder of a BPO employee in Pune in 2007.

The two accused, Purushottam Borade, 26 and Pradeep Kokade, 20, were sentenced to death.

The court pointed out that most of the BPOs are located in the outskirts of the city, and that firms have to ensure women travelling at night reach home safely, the court said.

The court also enquired about compensation for the victim under section 357 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), where the court can direct the accused or the company to provide for the compensation.

Borade, a driver with a logistics company, picked up the victim from her home at night on November 1, 2007 to take her to the Wipro office for her night shift.

However, he then took her to a secluded field in a nearby village, and raped her along with his accomplice. The duo then strangled her and smashed her head against a wall. The accused then took her jewellery, mobile phone and some cash. A farmer found the body the next morning, after which the accused were arrested.