Haryana state women commission has recommended to the state government to immediately “arrest and dismiss from service” the Hisar market committee secretary Sultan Singh, who has been at the centre of a raging controversy involving BJP’s flamboyant leader Sonali Phogat.
Sonali Phogat, 40, is known as a social media sensation because of her huge following on social media platforms such as Facebook and now disbanded Tik-Tok video app. She had unsuccessfully contested October 2019 Haryana assembly election from Adampur segment.
During a visit to the Balsamand Mandi in Hisar in the first week of June, Phogat had thrashed Hisar market committee secretary Sultan Singh with her slipper. Her videos slapping Sultan Singh were widely circulated on social media. Phogat was on a visit to the grain market after farmers had alleged that Sultan Singh was creating hurdles in the procurement process. It is alleged that she lost her cool after Sultan Singh behaved inappropriately, an allegation the latter has denied stoutly.
Both the BJP leader and mandi secretary had lodged complaints against each other.
{{/usCountry}}Both the BJP leader and mandi secretary had lodged complaints against each other.
{{/usCountry}}While in her complaint to the police Phogat said the official made indecent remarks against her, Sultan Singh lodged a counter-complaint against her, denying the allegations.
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According to Pratibha Suman, chairperson of the state women commission, a three member high-powered committee comprising Suman Bedi, Namrata Gaur and Dr Raj Singh was set up to hold an inquiry into the complaint received from Phogat against Sultan Singh.
Suman said she has sent a six-point recommendation to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and agriculture minister JP Dalal on July 23 on the basis of the inquiry committee report.
While recommending “disciplinary action” against Sumedha Kataria, administrator of agricultural marketing board for “not taking seriously the directions of the commission,” the inquiry panel has commented adversely about Hisar deputy commissioner (DC).
“The commission did not receive the desired help from Hisar DC from whom the commission had sought some certified documents,” Suman said.
As one of Haryana’s prominent khaps, Binain Khap, had given the state government ultimatum to arrest Phogat, the inquiry committee has recommended to lodge an FIR against Shamsher Singh Nain, the self styled president of the Binain Khap. “He used obscene language at a public platform in Jind (Sachha Kheda) panchayat against Sonali Phogat...,” the committee mentioned.
The inquiry panel has held that the prime accused Sultan Singh sent messages about Phogat through social media platforms and recommended to lodge an FIR under the IT Act.
The inquiry panel has also stated that Sultan Singh submitted “tempered documents” before the commission and tried to mislead the inquiry committee on the basis of wrong documents.
“Because of this he should be dismissed from service on disciplinary grounds with immediate effect and all the post retirement benefits must be stopped, apart from lodging an FIR,” the commission has said.
The inquiry panel has further said the accused official should be arrested on the basis of FIR Phogat had lodged on June 5.