The National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Monday took cognisance of a complaint of discrimination and mental harassment meted out to an employee of Doordarshan Patna.

Naveen Kumar Prasad, the employee concerned, filed a case of discrimination and mental harassment against a female colleague on Friday. He claimed that the woman insulted and humiliated him because he belonged to the Scheduled Castes. The woman had earlier accused Prasad and food and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak of mental harassment.

The panel has taken cognisance of the case and has asked the office of the Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) to submit a detailed report on Prasad’s complaint in 15 days.

Narendra Kumar, the general secretary of All India Association of SC/ST Organisations, said the panel faxed the letter to the Patna SSP’s office on Monday. A report has been sought from the director of Prasar Bharati, Delhi, too.

“While the SSP would look into the legal aspect of the complaint, the director of Prasar Bharati has been asked to conduct a departmental inquiry,” he said.

Kumar said a two-member team from Delhi visited Patna to look into the allegations. He added that she had earlier misbehaved with other employees of Doordarshan Patna.

The JD(U) came out in support of Shyam Rajak who has been accused of intimidating the woman employee on the phone.

A press note issued by the party said the woman was well acquainted with the minister and had also visited his house on different occasions in the past. “Under such circumstances, the question of intimidation doesn’t arise,” the note said.