US Landlord Sexual Harassment Case: Venkatachalam Mani, an Indian-origin landlord in Pennsylvania, has been accused of repeatedly sexually harassing his female tenant. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a federal case against the accused in a district court.
When the victim, a female tenant, flatly rejected the landlord’s unwanted sexual advances, the accused, Venkatachalam Mani, sought revenge. Despite the bitter cold, he flatly refused to repair a faulty furnace in her home, which subsequently led to a massive fire in the heater.
Landlord’s revenge and a terrible accident
Landlord Venkatachalam Mani attempted to have physical relations with his female tenant and touched her with malicious intent. When the woman flatly rejected Mani’s unwanted sexual advances, he resorted to revenge.
Despite the harsh winters in Pennsylvania, Mani flatly refused to repair the woman’s faulty heater. The victim repeatedly pleaded for repairs, but Mani ignored her. The malfunctioning heater later led to a massive fire in the house.
Due to the devastating fire, the victim and her young children were forced to leave their home in the bitter cold without any support. Due to the landlord’s actions, the entire innocent family was left homeless and wandering in the bitter cold.
A dire warning from the US Justice Department
Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice, called the act completely unlawful. He said the landlord refused to repair the woman’s home heater in the bitter cold simply because she refused to have sex.
Dhillon clarified that the Justice Department will fully protect the rights of women tenants across the country. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania US Attorney Brian D. Miller stated that sexual harassment and retaliation against tenants will not be tolerated.
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Investigation report and strict legal action
The case came to light after the victim filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A thorough HUD investigation determined that the accused landlord, Mani, had directly violated the Fair Housing Act.
The case was subsequently referred to the Department of Justice, which has now filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking compensation for the victim and her children, as well as a permanent injunction against the accused from renting the property in the future.