This aptly describes the treatment meted out to Rajeev Bhatia, the whistleblower who exposed the 800 crore steel scam in Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Instead of being protected or honored for his honesty and courage, he was harassed, suspended, and ultimately forced to resign.

Despite taking twice, the bold step of escalating the matter to the highest authority in the country – the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) – the system failed him. The PMO forwarded the complaint to the Ministry of Steel, which, in a questionable move, routed it back to the very organization accused of the scam – SAIL.

The result? SAIL’s top management, against whom the complaint was made, simply dismissed the allegations and misled both the Ministry and the PMO. This move not only undermined the seriousness of the complaint but also compromised the integrity of the entire process.

It is worth noting:

• The Lokpal has indicted senior SAIL officials.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the matter.
• Yet, no protection or justice has been extended to the whistleblower.
• The system has failed to give him even one fair hearing.
• Rajeev Bhatia even dared Chairman SAIL Amarendu Prakash for an open and public debate but Prakash failed to face him publicly.

How can an organization under investigation be allowed to handle the complaint against itself? The fundamental principle of justice—that no accused should investigate their own wrongdoing—has been completely...

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