Top architecture firm alleges harassment from landlord

New Delhi: The landlord of a high-profile architecture firm here has been booked for allegedly harassing and wrongfully confining the company's employees at their Lado Sarai office, the Delhi Police said on Tuesday.

The complainant firm, Kohelika Kohli Architects and Designers Pvt. Ltd. (K2INDIA), is owned by Sunita Kohli (74), veteran architect and the first interior designer to win a Padma Shri in 1992, and Kohelika Kohli (40).

In their complaint filed at the Saket Police Station, they have alleged that their landlord, one Kuldeep Singh Sejwal, who owned the 4-floor building, had temporarily confined several of the company's employees, including Operation Manager Lakhan Singh and an office boy Rahul on March 18, where the accused locked the gates of the building threatening them to shut the office before 8 PM.

They have also alleged that Sejwal used to park his car in such a way so as to obstruct their client or customer's movement. The accused used to block the path around the stairway hence hindering the movement of the company's goods, police said.

In addition, the firm has also stated in the complaint that the landlord used to deprive their third floor office of regular water supply since August 1 due to which they had to hire a water tanker for a cost of Rs 3000. They have claimed that Sejwal had cut the valve of the 2nd floor tenants as well in order to stop the water supply.

A senior police officer said that the 2nd floor tenants have also filed a complaint alleging similar harassment from Sejwal and investigation is underway in both the cases.

Meanwhile, Lakhan Singh, an employee at the firm, said that there have been several cases of public nuisance involving the landlord. "The accused regularly indulges in physical brawls over petty issues and has even cut our electricity supply at various instances," he said. "I registered a case on August 24 regarding the matter but it has seen no progress yet," Singh told Millennium Post.