Haryana: Facing ‘sexual harassment’ charges, IPS officer shifted

The Haryana State Commission for Women had written to chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and requested to transfer the officer from his current posting over allegations of sexual harassment.

The Haryana government on Wednesday transferred the Jind superintendent of police (SP), posting him as railway SP in Ambala. This comes a day after the Haryana State Commission for Women wrote to chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and requested to transfer the officer from his current posting over allegations of sexual harassment against him.

An investigation was initiated on Friday after a letter surfaced on social media against an IPS officer deployed in Jind, accusing him of sexually harassing women cops.

He is among 23 IPS officers, who were transferred by the Haryana government. On Tuesday, Haryana State Commission for Women chairperson Renu Bhatia had written to the CM, mentioning, “The commission has taken cognisance of the subject that has been cited on social media networks and news channels nowadays. A hearing was conducted in which Jind SP Sumit Kumar submitted his side before the chairperson.”

The women’s panel had recommended to the state government to either send the Jind SP on leave or transfer him until the inquiry is completed “so that the inquiry doesn’t get affected due to his influence”.

The investigation was initiated on Friday after a letter had surfaced on social media against an IPS officer deployed in Jind, accusing him of sexually harassing women cops. The officer has already rubbished such allegations, claiming that the entire episode has been aimed at tarnishing his image.

The letter doing the rounds on social media had mentioned that seven women cops sent complaints via email to the chief minister, ADGPs and other senior police officers. They alleged that an SHO and a DSP, both women, are running a honey trap together. In the letter, one claiming to be a woman cop mentioned that a woman SHO, a female DSP and an SP are involved in “illicit” activities. She mentioned that those who raise their voices against harassment, get their annual confidential report adversely affected.

“A widow woman officer was reportedly saved from harassment after intervention by an MLA, but her ACR was affected resultantly,” the letter reads. Later, another letter appeared on social media in which one, claiming to be a woman cop, alleged the woman DSP offered them ₹10 lakh each for burying the issue. The letter had mentioned that the victims wanted transfer of the SP, the woman DSP and the woman SHO from Jind. The letter had also mentioned that victims had an audio clip as an evidence. HT couldn’t independently verify the veracity of the letters.