E-Paper
SC takes note of Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association sexual harassment case
NGO files complaint to CJI, accuses Chandigarh police of inaction
The case of sexual harassment of a minor female trainee of Chandigarh Academy of Rural Tennis (CHART) that runs under the aegis of Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) has reached the Supreme Court. The complainant’s counsel apprised the district court on Wednesday about the apex court taking cognisance of the e-complaint filed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Five trainees of the CHART were booked on August 17 for sexually harassing and stalking the 16-year-old fellow trainee and on August 26, they had filed anticipatory bail petition in the Chandigarh district court, which was hearing the matter on Wednesday.
Advocate Manish from the Punjab and Haryana high court informed the local court, “An NGO has filed a complaint to the Chief Justice of India against the Chandigarh Police’s alleged failure to take action against the CLTA senior management, who, too, were named in the complaint.”
HOW THE CASE UNFOLDED
The case was registered on the complaint of the girl’s father, who accused the five male trainees (all minors) of misbehaving with her and harassing her at the CLTA complex in Sector 10. “The father complained that the boys stalked the girl after practice sessions and matches over a period of two months. They allegedly touched her inappropriately as well,” said a police official privy to the matter.
The five have been booked under Sections 354 (sexual harassment), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012.
In his complaint submitted in the last week of July, the victim’s father had also levelled allegations against the CLTA senior management, accusing them of shielding the boys.
“My daughter was subjugated to character assassination by senior officials of CLTA, who, instead of helping a young victim of sexual abuse, issued threats of finishing off her career in tennis,” he alleged.
The FIR states that CLTA president Jai Singh Gill “called my daughter in his chamber” where chief operating officer Meghraj and chief coach Romen Singh “threatened her not to pursue the complaint against the boys” as ₹4 crore grant received for the CHART programme was the association’s main source of income.
However, the three are not named as accused in the FIR. Also, they have denied the allegation.
Meanwhile, following a complaint by one of the five accused, police have also registered a case against the girl’s father under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC for allegedly thrashing and threatening him.
MATTER ADJOURNED
Advocate Manish informed the court, “The Supreme Court through the registrar general on behalf of Chief Justice of India has treated the NGO’s complaint as a public interest litigation (PIL) and the matter will be taken up on September 6.”
Following this, the local court of additional district and sessions judge has kept the matter for next hearing on September 7.
