(Yicai Global) Aug. 10 -- TikTok operator Bytedance Technology has tossed out the job application by the man recently fired by Alibaba Group Holding for his alleged role in an indecent assault scandal currently engulfing the Chinese e-commerce giant.

Wang Chengwen had passed the first round of interviews before the human resources team became aware that he was the accused at the center of Alibaba’s sexual harassment case, the Beijing-based company said yesterday. His application has been withdrawn and he will be blacklisted should he be found guilty, it added.

Wang is accused of molesting a female member of his sales team during a business trip to Jinan, northeastern Shandong province last month. She claims she was forced to drink until she was inebriated then was assaulted by the client and Wang. When her complaints to Hangzhou-based Alibaba went unheeded, she took to handling out leaflets at the company canteen to raise awareness of her plight, triggering a social media storm.

Alibaba has since leapt into action and heads have started to roll. So far, four junior managers have been suspended and the head of the retail business department and the human resources employee involved have resigned. The firm’s chief people officer has been given a warning. The accused has been dismissed and is under investigation by Jinan police.

Companies generally conduct background checks before any new hires to make sure he/she does not have a criminal record or is involved in any labor disputes, industry insiders told Yicai Global. This type of sexual scandal is a ‘red light’ and the young man will not be able to work for a large company again, they added.

Editor: Kim Taylor