As per the reports, a former employee of IT giant, Hewlett-Packard India Sales Pvt. has approached the Delhi High Court against the company alleged ‘illegal and wrongful termination’.
What Are The Charges?
Mr. Grover alleged that payment in millions of dollars was paid to government officials in bribe.
Further, he claimed the wrongful termination of service in June of 2020, which also includes harassment by the company.
In the petition which was filed through advocates Tishampati Sen and Riddhi Sancheti, Mr. Grover said, “HP India was even actively attempting to influence the award of government projects and tenders, and there were rampant attempts by senior executives to influence various projects such as the National Registry of Citizenship, regarding supply of HP toners, and contracts with the ministry of defense, etc. The plaintiff was also shocked to learn of the malpractices, corrupt and collusive conduct orchestrated by HP India on the government e-market (GeM) in an attempt to achieve a situation whereby only the HP authorized channel partners would be eligible to quote in the bids and tenders,”.
According to the whistleblower, HP India was systematically involved in corrupt, unethical and anti-competitive practices.
Further, he alleged that “the senior management…would coerce all employees, within the said business vertical, to adhere to. Having acted as the whistleblower and being the one to bring such rampant practices to the awareness of the senior leadership in HP India and to the relevant persons in HP Global, the plaintiff was shocked to see the brazen retaliation that the Plaintiff was being subject to in complete violation of the global HP policies.”
The whistleblower said, “He was coerced into entering into such transactions by the senior management of HP India,”.
Apart from the charges, the plaintiff has also sought damages to the tune of Rs 40 crore from HP.
How Did This Happen?
On Thursday, the Delhi High Court issued summons to information technology major Hewlett Packard India Sales and its California-based parent HP Inc.
According to the summon, the company is alleged to indulging in “corrupt” and “unethical practices” in bribing officials to secure government projects and tenders.
Further, the summon is issued by Justice V Kameswar Rao to its ex-MD Sumeer Chandra, who is currently working as a company director, in Intel.
Additionally, the summons has also been issued to the global compliance program manager, the chief HR officer and Asia Pacific Japan HR ER/HR compliance,.
Further, the HC asked has given four weeks’ time to the respondents to file their reply to the allegations by the plaintiff, the whistleblower, Manoj Grover, who is a former employee of HP India.
The next hearing on this case is scheduled for September 21.
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