By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK, Oct 27 (Reuters) – JPMorgan Chase urged a federal judge to dismiss a sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit by former investment banker Chirayu Rana, accusing him of persuading his sister and a longtime friend to perjure themselves to support his case.
The largest US bank made its request in a Monday night filing in Manhattan federal court, saying Rana’s bad faith and sustained misconduct warrant “the most serious sanction available.”
Lorna Hajdini, a JPMorgan executive and co-defendant, has also sought a dismissal. She has rejected Rana’s claims that she coerced him into sex and demanded submissiveness to advance his career, and countersued her former colleague for defamation.
Jon Norinsberg, a lawyer for Rana, declined to comment on Tuesday, citing court directives.
He has sought to withdraw from the case because of “irreconcilable differences” with his client, whom he began representing in June after another lawyer withdrew. Two other lawyers who joined Rana’s case on October 22 sought to withdraw one day later, saying new information materially changed their understanding of the case.
Rana’s original lawsuit in April drew widespread attention in part because of his graphic depictions of Hajdini’s alleged harassment, all of which she has denied.
The plaintiff, who is of Nepalese descent, also accused JPMorgan of destroying his career through its acceptance of sexual coercion and racism, including on his otherwise all-white leveraged finance team, with colleagues referring to him as “brown boy.” JPMorgan has denied the allegations.
Rana resigned after 1-1/2 years at JPMorgan last October.
DEFENDANT CITES ‘ONGOING NIGHTMARE’
According to JPMorgan’s filing, Rana enlisted his sister Chandani Rana and friend Allan Flott to provide false sworn testimony they had firsthand knowledge of Hajdini’s alleged misconduct.
This included statements that Chandani Rana had observed Hajdini appearing to kiss Chirayu Rana’s neck, and saying something like “I own you Brownie” to him.
Flott’s declaration described an alleged incident at Chandani Rana’s apartment, where he and Chirayu Rana were staying, in which Hajdini had urged him to join Chirayu Rana in a bedroom because “you know, I own Chirayu, so you’d better come join.”
Chandani Rana recanted her testimony on October 22, saying Hajdini had never been to her apartment, and “I have never seen Ms. Hajdini engage in any inappropriate, sexual, harassing, threatening, or intoxicated conduct toward my brother or anyone else.”
JPMorgan said Flott has not recanted but, like Chandani Rana, was “led astray” by her brother.
Lawyers for Chandani Rana and Flott did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In seeking a dismissal, JPMorgan and Hajdini also want Chirayu Rana to cover their legal costs.
“No order can fully restore Ms. Hajdini’s reputation or undo what she has suffered,” Hajdini’s lawyer Melissa Rodriguez said in a court filing. “But the court can put an end to this fraudulent litigation, hold those responsible accountable, and put an end to Ms. Hajdini’s ongoing nightmare.”
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York;Editing by Rod Nickel)
