Sexual harassment case: Complainant files application, seeks copy of bail plea moved by Haryana minister Sandeep Singh
Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, a former captain of the Indian hockey team, was booked by the Chandigarh Police on December 31, 2022, on the complaint of a junior athletics coach. He gave up his sports portfolio a day after. On August 25, police filed chargesheet in the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in Chandigarh. The accused minister is not arrested by the police.
In the sexual harassment case against Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, the complainant filed an application seeking copy of the bail plea moved by the minister so as to oppose it. She alleged that the minister had been “threatening” her and “influencing” the investigation.
Singh, a former captain of the Indian hockey team, was booked by the Chandigarh Police on December 31, 2022, on the complaint of a junior athletics coach. He gave up his sports portfolio a day after. On August 25, police filed chargesheet in the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in Chandigarh. The accused minister is not arrested by the police. The reason given in the chargesheet is: “The accused had been served a notice u/s 41A, following which he joined the investigation and, therefore, as per guidelines passed by the Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar’s case, accused hasn’t been arrested.”
The court had issued notice to the accused minister for September 16.
However, anticipating arrest from the Chandigarh Police, Sandeep Singh’s counsel filed an anticipatory bail application in the court of additional district and sessions judge on September 4. The case was listed on Wednesday for hearing the bail plea. But it is adjourned for Thursday after an application was moved by the complainant seeking the copy of the bail petition filed by the accused/petitioner in the case, so that she can contest it.
The complainant said in the application: “The sitting minister of Haryana with independent charge has been influencing the investigation, alluring / pressurising the complainant since the registration of the FIR, even the state machinery and the CID is being deputed to follow and invade the privacy of the victim.”
The counsel added: “The complainant has also been threatened, her identity has also been revealed publically at the instance of the accused in violation of Section 228-A of the IPC. A separate complaint has been filed in May before police, but no action has been taken till date by police.”
The complainant stated that she intends to oppose the bail plea filed by the Haryana Minister, however, in the absence of the copy of the same she is unable to do so. Hence, she sought a copy of the bail plea filed by the accused and she was provided reasonable time to file a written reply to counter the bail application.
‘Complainant became puppet in the hands of rival parties’
The bail plea by Sandeep Singh mentions that he has eminent apprehension that in the eventuality of his appearance before the trial court on September 16, he will be sent to judicial custody as the offence in question is cognisable and non-bailable.
The counsel mentioned that “frivolous allegations have been levelled against Singh to tarnish his image in furtherance of personal vendetta and political rivalry”.
“The allegations have been made only for the reason that the unjust demands of the complainant were not accepted by the petitioner (Sandeep Singh), for the reasons that she was given posting at her hometown Jhajjar,” it added.
“The complainant become a puppet in the hands of rival political parties, who started prompting her to go ahead with false allegations in the FIR,” the application mentioned.
It mentions: “Singh is a law-abiding citizen who has cooperated with the investigation and now since the chargesheet has been filed, his custody is not required at all”.
It added that Singh shall appear regularly to face trial and shall not misuse the concession of bail in any manner.