Sexual harassment case: Haryana minister Sandeep Singh gets anticipatory bail
Anticipating arrest by Chandigarh Police on September 16, the day of the hearing, Sandeep Singh’s counsel filed the anticipatory bail application in the district court on September 4.
A Chandigarh court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, who was chargesheeted last month in a sexual harassment case.
Additional district and sessions judge Rajeev K Beri allowed the anticipatory bail plea and issued notice to the minister for the hearing on Saturday. Anticipating the arrest by Chandigarh Police on the day of the hearing, Sandeep Singh’s counsel filed the anticipatory bail application in the court on September 4.
Also read: Complainant seeks copy of bail plea moved by Haryana minister Sandeep Singh
Sandeep Singh, 37, is a former captain of the Indian hockey team and was booked by Chandigarh Police on December 31, 2022, on the complaint of a junior athletics coach. Pending investigation, he gave up the sports portfolio, but continues to hold the charge of printing and stationery minister.
In the plea, Sandeep Singh expressed apprehension that in the eventuality of his appearance before the trial court on September 16, he will be sent in judicial custody as the offence in question is cognizable and non-bailable.
“The allegations have been made only for the reason that the unjust demands of the complainant were not accepted by the petitioner (Sandeep Singh). She was given posting at her hometown Jhajjar, which she didn’t want,” the counsel, Rabindra Pandit, argued. “The complainant become a puppet in the hands of rival political parties, which started promoting and instigating her to go ahead with false allegations in the FIR,” he said.
In the bail application, Sandeep Singh said he is a law-abiding citizen who has cooperated with the investigation and now since the chargesheet has been filed, his custody is not required. He said he would appear regularly to face trial and would not misuse the concession of bail.
The complainant’s counsel, Sameer Sethi and Deepanshu Bansal, opposed the anticipatory bail plea, stating that Sandeep Singh being a member of the legislative assembly was “misusing government machinery to pressurise the victim. If granted relief, he will influence the trial.”
Sandeep Singh’s counsel submitted Supreme Court judgments to buttress his case. The counsel said frivolous allegations have been levelled against the minister to tarnish his image in furtherance of personal vendetta and political rivalry.
