BSNL Asks Former Employee Rehana Fatima To Vacate Her Quarters In Kochi

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) served a notice asking its former employee and activist Rehana Fathima to vacate from its residential quarters in Kochi.

BSNL said that police raids on the former employee's house and booking her under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, had tarnished the image of the firm.

Activist Fatima Rehana was booked last week under POCSO Act after she posed semi-nude in front of her minor children, allowing them to paint on her bare body and sharing the video on social media.

Police on June 25 had carried out searches at her house in the BSNL quarters at Panampilly Nagar. But she was found missing. The POCSO charges were added based on a report filed by Cyberdom, the cyber wing of Kerala police, for posting an "offensive" video titled "Body and Politics" on social media.

Fathima was dismissed from her job at BSNL in May on charges of intentionally outraging religious feelings of devotees through social media posts. As she ceased to be a BSNL employee, Fathima was ineligible to occupy the company quarters and was thus served the notice.

The June 27 notice made available to the media read, "The above event tarnished the image of BSNL. Hence you are instructed to vacate the quarters within 30 days from the date of receipt of this notice, failing which further proceedings will be initiated for eviction."

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had earlier sought a report from police on the video matter and had asked police to check whether the issue amounts to sexual harassment of children and violation of the POCSO Act.

Earlier the activists had also made headlines with her vain attempts at entering the Lord Ayappa temple in Sabarimala.

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