U-23 women cricketers’ sexual harassment case
SHILLONG, July 1: The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) has clarified why it did not recommend any action against the current leadership of the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) in the sexual harassment case involving women cricketers, even as it revealed that current president James P.K. Sangma was summoned and examined during the inquiry.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, MSCW legal counsel Joy Grace Syiem said the commission was legally bound to proceed only against the individuals named in the original complaint filed by six members of the Meghalaya Under-23 women’s cricket team on May 4, 2026.
The complaint had named six respondents — Head Coach Hemant Roy, Manager Sanjay Mandal, and four MCA office-bearers who were holding positions when the complaints were first received by the association through emails on December 2 and 3, 2025. The commission, she said, could not add new respondents on its own.
In a significant disclosure, Syiem confirmed that current MCA president James P.K. Sangma was summoned by the commission and appeared before it to record his statement. Sangma informed the panel that he assumed charge on January 13, 2026, following the association’s elections, and that the issue had never been placed before the MCA’s apex body after he took over. He stated that the previous office-bearers had not briefed him about the complaints received in December 2025.
However, Sangma’s name did not appear in the commission’s final orders because he was not one of the respondents named in the players’ complaint. The legal counsel emphasised that merely being summoned and giving a statement does not make a person a respondent in the proceedings.
The commission found that despite receiving the complaints in December 2025, the then MCA office-bearers failed to take any meaningful action for nearly five months. While the Operations Manager had informed the secretary and treasurer, the matter was reportedly put off till after the elections. The MSCW held that those in positions of authority at the time failed to fulfil their responsibilities under the POSH Act.
Following its inquiry, the commission recommended the suspension of Head Coach Hemant Roy and the dismissal of Manager Sanjay Mandal. It also pointed out the absence of a mandatory Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the MCA and rejected claims of ignorance of the law as a valid defence.
Despite not recommending action against the present leadership, the MSCW made it clear that the current MCA administration has not been absolved of responsibility. All recommendations and directions have been addressed to the current president, giving the association 30 days to implement the suggestions, constitute the required mechanisms, and ensure compliance. The commission warned that failure to comply could invite further action.
The MSCW urged that public attention should remain on ensuring the safety and dignity of the women cricketers who came forward with their complaints.
