A high ranking prison employee accused of playing taped romantic conversations between himself and a married woman colleague to prison employees is facing a hefty lawsuit.
Rehno Mangalram Dhanraj, a warden at Umzinto Prison, has sued Dunraj Mohan, the director of corporate services at Westville Prison, for R825 000.
Mohan is in charge of discipline and human resources in his job.
In court papers filed in the Durban High Court she claimed that in January 2010, Mohan had sexually harassed her, defamed her, threatened to wipe her and her family out, had acted maliciously by levelling false charges against her and had embarrassed her.
Simultaneously Dhanraj’s husband, Sanjay, and her siblings, Lomendra and Reshma, have filed lawsuits of R475 000, R465 000 and R350 000 respectively against Mohan.
Sanjay and Reshma are also employed at Umzinto Prison. Lomendra formerly of Umzinto Prison is at Leeukop Prison in Gauteng.
On Tuesday Mohan said the action would be opposed.
“Rehno is in denial about the extramarital relationship. She, her husband and siblings have conspired to tarnish my image and reputation. They have made frivolous allegations against me,’’ he said.
In her affidavit Dhanraj claimed:
* Mohan had sexually harassed her. When he found out she was going to relocate to Canada he told her the world was a small place – she could run but would not be able to hide from him. That claim amounts to R95 000..
* He had enlisted the help of an anonymous woman to call and threaten her. The caller said if she did not stop complaining to Correctional Services and disgracing Mohan her children would be in a coffin. For the death threats Dhanraj wants R25 000.
* Mohan told an ex-prisoner Neville Singh she was “jolling” with him and had used him for promotion purposes. For being defamed she wants Mohan to pay R50 000.
* He showed one Vimal Singh e-mails she had sent him. Mohan in a conversation with Singh had referred to her as a b ..... she wants him to pay R100 000 for defaming her.
* He telephoned her on October 1, 2009, and threatened to wipe her and her family out. Mohan had accused Dhanraj of attempting to bring him down. For the alleged harassment Dhanraj is claiming R50 000.
* Mohan continued to harass her. He threatened to murder her after she refused to entertain his calls in December 2009 and January 2010. Mohan told another prison employee if she persisted in not taking his calls he would have charges levelled against her. Before Dhanraj had terminated the call Mohan swore at her. For that she is claiming R25 000.
* He phoned her again on October 9, 2009, and December 16, 2009. On both occasions Mohan had threatened to murder her. Mohan has been sued R25 000 each regarding the alleged death threats.
* In October 2010 Mohan acted maliciously and claimed she had lied when she had informed her superiors that she, her sister and brother would be late for work because they were involved in an accident. Mohan had instigated disciplinary action against her. She was acquitted. For that she is claiming R100 000.
* Mohan had intercepted her letters. He informed employees at Umzinto Prison that her property was to be auctioned because she was in arrears with her bond. For this, Dhanraj is seeking R30 000.
* Mohan had harassed her on October 1, 2009, and in September 2009. To injure her reputation he had annexed confidential and personal documents about her in his opposing papers concerning the interdict which she obtained against him in the Durban High Court in 2009. She has filed two separate claims of R50 000.
* Mohan was instrumental in her facing a false fraud charge on July 17, 2009. Mohan in June 2009 had wrongly accused her of smuggling dagga to prisoners and had referred to her as a prostitute. For this, she is claiming R90 000 and R100 000.
Sanjay, Lomendra and Reshma claimed Mohan had acted maliciously against them, they were defamed and their reputations were injured.
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