Mansukh Mandaviya: Ministry of Labour demands report on death of EY employee

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Monday (23 September) that an investigation was underway into the alleged “unsafe and exploitative working environment” surrounding the death of EY employee Anna Sebastian Perayil.

The report is expected within seven to ten days, after which the government will consider the necessary measures. The Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the investigation after Anna’s tragic death and has collected information from state authorities.

Addressing a press conference, Mandaviya said, “We have sought information from government agencies and will provide further details after examining the report.” He added that investigations were still underway and appropriate action would be taken if required.

“We cannot overlook the company’s mistakes. The report should be ready within a week or 10 days,” Mandaviya said, referring to the death of the 26-year-old chartered accountant, which was allegedly due to extreme work pressure at the company.

Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje also expressed her condolences on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the Labour Ministry had taken up the complaint and was determined to ensure justice.

On September 21, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognizance of the incident and asked the Ministry of Labour to submit a detailed report within four weeks.

The investigation came amid growing opposition demands for better working conditions in the country. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Anna’s parents and assured them that he would fight for reforms in the IT work culture.

Anna had only joined EY as an audit and assurance manager four months before her death. Her mother Anita wrote a letter describing how the workload had had a severe impact on Anna’s mental health, leading to anxiety, insomnia and stress.

Anita concluded the letter by calling on EY to reflect on its work culture and live up to the values ​​it stands for, and calling for meaningful steps to prioritize employee health and wellbeing. The new Indian Express reported.