Malayali CA's death: Centre begins probe, EY officials visit parents in Kochi

The Centre has initiated a probe into allegations of exploitative working conditions which have surfaced following the death of an Ernst & Young employee from Kerala, Anna Sebastian Perayil, said Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shobha Karandlaje. In a post on X, the Union Minister said that a thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative working environment is underway. 

"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice & @LabourMinistry has officially taken up the complaint," Shobha Karandlaje posted on the official X  account. She was replying to former union minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

"This is very sad but also disturbing at many levels. I rqst Govt of India @mansukhmandviya @ShobhaBJP to investigate these allegations made by the mother of unsafe and exploitative work environment that claimed the life of young, full of future Anna Sebastian Perayil, (sic)" Chandrasekhar said on X. 

Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old resident of Kangarappady in Kalamassery, died on July 20, four months after she had joined EY as an Audit and Assurance executive. Meanwhile, representatives from Ernst & Young (EY) sought a meeting with Anna's parents in Kochi on Thursday, sources told Onmanorama. After the letter written by Anna's mother found its way into social media, the organisation issued a note conveying their condolences and promised to continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workspace for employees.

Her death, allegedly due to work stress, sparked massive social media outrage, forcing the company to issue a statement.

"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us," the EY said in the statement. It went on to state that while no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, the firm has provided all the assistance and will continue to do so. "We are taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India," it added.