Govt asks EY India to explain position on CA's death

The Union labour ministry has asked EY India's management to appear before it and explain its position regarding the death of its 26-year-old employee, Anna Sebastian Perayil, a senior labour ministry official said.

- SHIVA RAJORA & RAGHAV AGGARWAL

"The Central Labour Commissioner has sent a notice to EY management, requiring them to explain their stance in this case. Only after this will we be able to determine the circumstances leading to the young woman's death. Since labour is a concurrent subject, the Maharashtra State Labour Department has also been directed to investigate the matter and provide a report," the official said.

Business Standard's queries to EY India about this development remained unanswered until the time of going to press.

Perayil, a chartered accountant with SR Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global in Yerawada, Pune, died on July 20 while undergoing treatment at a city hospital after complaining of exhaustion.

The tragedy became public after her mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a letter to EY India head, Rajiv Memani. The letter went viral on social media, where Anita attributed her daughter's death to "back-breaking work" at the company.