Dinesh Kumar Saraogi is no longer CEO since last year, Jindal Steel clarifies after allegation of attack on flight

Jindal Steel on July 19 made it clear that Dinesh Kumar Saraogi, accused of allegedly harassing a woman passenger on an international flight, is no longer the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since last year.

Jindal Steel said in a statement on Friday that Saraogi is currently CEO of Vulcan Green Steel in Oman.

“Dinesh Kumar Saraogi, who is accused of harassing a woman on the Etihad flight, is no longer a Jindal Steel executive since last year. He is the CEO of Vulcan Green Steel, Oman and has no direct relationship with the listed company Jindal Steel and Power,” the statement said.

In a post on X on July 19, Ananya Chhaochharia, founder of Paint it Red (an NGO working for menstrual rights), accused Saraogi of sexually assaulting her, allegedly during a flight from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi on July 19. She also drew the attention of Jindal Steel founder and BJP MP Naveen Jindal to the issue.

Responding to her complaint, Lok Sabha MP Naveen Jindal assured “strictest and necessary” action and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

“Thank you for reaching out and speaking up! It takes a lot of courage to do what you did and I want you to know that we have a zero tolerance policy for such things. I have asked the team to immediately investigate the matter and then the strictest and necessary action will be taken,” Mr Jindal said in his response to the victim’s posts on X.

In her post, Ananya Chhaochharia claimed, “I am sharing an incident that happened to me during the flight from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston). I am very thankful to @__Etiihad staff and Abu Dhabi Police for the support they extended to me. TW: Sexual assault.”

“I was sitting next to an industrialist (Dinesh Kr. Saraogi, CEO of Jindal Steel). He must be around 65 years old and told me that he lives in Oman now but travels often. He started chatting with me – very normal conversations about our roots, family etc. He is from Churu in Rajasthan and both our sons are married and settled in the US etc. The conversation turned to what my hobbies are. He asked if I like watching movies and I said something like, sure. Then he told me that he has some movie clips on his phone. He takes out his phone and earphones to show me PORN!,” she added.

She further thanked the Etihad team for their “proactive” approach and taking immediate action.

“He started groping me. I was frozen with fear and anxiety. Eventually, I ran to the toilet and complained to the airline staff. Fortunately, the Etihad team was very proactive and took immediate action. They allowed me to sit in their seating area and served me tea and fruits. He kept calling them to ask where I had gone. The staff also informed the police in Abu Dhabi who were waiting as soon as the aircraft gates opened. I could not file a complaint or I would have missed my connecting flight to Boston,” the message read.

“I am working to bring this incident to the notice of Jindal Steel founder @MPNaveenJindal so that he knows what kind of people are in the leadership. I am also afraid of how this molester treats his female employees from a position of power,” she further said.