Sexual harassment case: Chandigarh Police oppose Sandeep Singh’s discharge plea
Haryana minister Sandeep Singh was booked on December 31, 2022, on the complaint of a junior coach in the Haryana sports department who alleged that the minister had sought sexual favours and even molested her, but as she turned down his advances, he subjected her to continued mental harassment.
The Chandigarh Police have opposed the discharge plea of Haryana minister Sandeep Singh in a sexual harassment case, suggesting instead that the minister be put to trial after framing of charges.
Singh was booked on December 31, 2022, on the complaint of a junior coach in the Haryana sports department who alleged that the minister had sought sexual favours and even molested her, but as she turned down his advances, he subjected her to continued mental harassment.
As per the police, the woman had come in contact with the accused through Instagram on February 27, 2022.
In the reply submitted in the court of additional chief judicial magistrate on Wednesday, police stated, “The FSL (forensic science laboratory) examination points towards an informal relationship between the accused and the victim, going beyond professional conduct.”
It was further mentioned that the victim alleged that accused tried to seek sexual gratification and outraged her modesty at his official residence on March 2, 2022, and July 1, 2022, to which she objected.
“Sandeep Singh, accused is an MLA from Pehowa, Kurukshetra, and was serving as the minister of sports and youth affairs at the time of the incident. The place of occurrence is Sector 7, Chandigarh. The accused had set up his camp office at his official residence,” the police stated.
In vengeance of her rejection, Singh started mentally harassing her by causing obstruction in her practice at Tau Devi Lal stadium and later creating hurdles in her training after her appointment as junior coach in the sports department. The woman had alleged that she was unfairly transferred to Jhajjar, which led her to file the complaint.
“The victim has maintained her primary allegations in all her statements and also corroborated the same in her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. While identifying the scene of crime, the victim was familiar with the place and pointed out key places. Key witnesses have further corroborated that immediately after the incident, she had confided in them about being sexually harassed by the accused,” the reply reads.
On January 1, 2023, a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted for further investigation of the case.
As per the investigation, offences under Section 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (outraging modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or criminal force to disrobe a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code, prima facie have been committed by the accused. And the final report was submitted on September 13, 2023.
“In view of the stage of the case, the present application of the accused Sandeep Singh may kindly be dismissed, and he be put to trial after farming of charges,” it adds.
