Smriti Irani spots camera in Goa's FabIndia trial room; 4 arrested, store sealed

In an extremely outrageous incident, Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani on Friday spotted a camera near a trial room of a well-known apparel showroom in Goa.

Panaji: Trying on clothes at an outlet of a reputed garment brand at Candolim village near here, a vigilant Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Friday spotted a hidden camera positioned to record inside the small room, raising an alarm after which Goa Police registered a case against the staff for voyeurism.

Irani, on a visit to Goa, came across the camera when she was in the “FabIndia” showroom to buy clothes and immediately protested, alerting her husband, businessman Zubin Irani, said Superintendent of Police (North) Umesh Gaonkar.

She then called BJP legislator Micheal Lobo, who arrived at the showroom with police and later filed a complaint in this regard. A hard disk and the camera were seized, and some staff of the store were detained for quesioning.

Talking to a news channel, Lobo said the camera was not easily visible and its lens pointed right into the changing room. He further said that footage from the camera was being recorded in a computer in the manager's office.  

While Irani could not be contacted, Lobo, who was on the spot, said the ruling BJP-led alliance government was taking the matter seriously.

Footage from the camera, installed four months ago according to staff at the store, was being recorded in a computer in the manager's office, Lobo said, confirming that it held many recordings of people changing in the trial room.

Calangute police, which searched the showroom after a complaint by Lobo, found a CCTV camera installed in the ventilation unit of the room.

SP (North) Gaonkar said police have recorded the statement of Irani. "Irani's statement has been recorded as a victim, along with another woman who had entered the room earlier," he said.

Four staff members of the Fabindia showroom have been detained for questioning in connection with the case, Gaonkar added. The top bosses of the company will be questioned tomorrow in connection with the case, said the investigating authorities.

After inspecting the showroom the authorities then sealed the shop.

A case was filed under section 354 C (voyeurism) and 509 (intrusion into privacy) of Indian Penal Code against employees who were monitoring the cameras. We are analysing the entire data, the SP said.

Gaonkar also informed that police have formed special team to inspect all the showrooms in the coastal belt to ensure that there are no CCTV cameras installed in changing rooms.

He said instructions will also be issued to all the police stations to form teams and inspect the changing rooms in their respective areas.

In Bangalore, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said, "Right now I'm in Bangalore for National Executive meet but I have been given to understand that Madam Smriti Irani had gone to Goa, and during her stay in Goa probably she went for some purchases in shop by name FabIndia.

"Suo moto case has been registered against the concerned person. We will take stringent action. Don't worry we will take stringent action, case has been registered against the culprit. Through investigation would be done and the culprit will be taken to task," he said.

"I spoke to the police officer over there. It was reported that she had gone for changing of clothes and immediately she noticed that there was one hole in the room and beyond the hole one camera was hanging, so immediately came and complained. It was verified, it was confiscated, it was learned that it was functioning and case has been registered against the manager and the staff," he said.

Later speaking to “Zee Media”, the Goa CM termed the incident as “extremely shocking”. My government will act and thorough probe will be held,” the CM said.

Parsekar also hinted that it could be a conspiracy against Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and this angle will be probed too.

However, the Goa CM advocated people to be more vigilant to prevent this kind of incident.

Parsekar also ensured that all big stores and showrooms across the state will be thoroughly checked to ensure nothing of this sort happens in future.

However, Fabindia Managing Director William Bissel said there are security cameras in all the stores but they are not in trial rooms. "They cannot see what is happening inside the trial room," he said.

Bissel said his staff was not able to detect any of what Lobo had said of images inside the trial room and they have to be verified. "The cameras are routinely placed in places where shoplifting can occur," he said.

Notably, this is not the first time that a camera has been spotted inside a changing room. However, spotting of the same by none other than a Union minister is expected to raise the alarm loud enough to be heard by the authorities.

The Congress, meanwhile, claimed that the 'changing room scandal' was Goa's best kept secret, especially in tourism-oriented coastal villages.

"Not just this boutique. All stores with such a facility must be investigated. A union minister can at least alert the authorities but most people cannot," Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said.

Reacting to the incident, National Commission for Women member Shamina Shafiq said that it needs to be investigated where previous videos have been sent.

With PTI inputs

Should there be more checks by police to tackle the menace of cameras in trial rooms? in Nation on LockerDome