Sotheby’s India MD Gaurav Bhatia Steps Down After Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct

• IWB Post

•  January 5, 2019
 

   

Gaurav Bhatia, the MD of Sotheby’s India, has resigned nearly a month after he went on a ‘leave of absence’ following sexual harassment allegations.

Gaurav was the South Asia operations head and the driving force behind Boundless: India, Sotheby’s maiden auction in the country. According to anonymous allegations made by four people against Bhatia, posted on Instagram in November 2018, he touched the victims inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them. The allegations pertain to the time when he was employed with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, and the other incident took place during his current position in Sotheby’s. The last post made on Instagram alleges physical assault inside a hotel room in the year 2014 after an event when Gaurav was the “top boss at a luxury firm” and the survivor was on the communications team.

According to TOI, the post from one of the male complainants read, “After the event.. he asked me to come to his room to close the remaining urgent things…I didn’t see anything coming as I thought he was being chivalrous and didn’t want o make the girls feel uncomfortable by having them in his room. So I being a boy, agreed to accompany him… He went on to physically assault me- during the whole time I said ‘no’ at various points. I was scared and shocked and disturbed for days. I’m now opening up and sharing this because others are speaking up.”

The account named ‘Scene and Herd’ has earlier also shared sexual harassment allegations against artist Jatin Das and Kochi Muziris Biennale co-founder Riyas Komu, and Gaurav was one amongst the many other big names that were called out in the #MeToo movement.

Following the allegations, after working for two years with the auction house, Gaurav has stepped down from his post as an MD on December 20, 2018. In an official statement, he said, “After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby’s future in India. I wish them the very best.”

The auction house shared, “Sotheby’s Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20, 2018, after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service.”

H/T: NDTV