Metro official faces sex abuse charges

Controversy is knocking at the doors of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), with a senior officer of its legal department being accused of sexually harassing a woman colleague.

Controversy is knocking at the doors of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), with a senior officer of its legal department being accused of sexually harassing a woman colleague.

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Police said that the woman, in her mid-30s, complained on Thursday to senior DMRC officials about the same.

The victim also lodged a written complaint at the Barakhamba police station, after which a case was registered.

In the complaint, the woman alleged that she was being sexually harassed for the past few months. She added that the accused used to send lewd text messages on her mobile phone.

Police said that a case of molestation has been registered against the 50-year-old officer under Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 509 (making indecent gestures to insult a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

No arrests have been made in the case so far.

“The complainant told us that she had been going through the harassment for quite some time now. He allegedly used to pass lewd comments on her; he said he found her attractive,” said a police officer.

“A complaint has been received from a woman employee of the DMRC, alleging misbehaviour by a senior in the organisation. We have constituted a three-member enquiry committee that includes two senior women officers and an officer from the Human Resources (HR) Department of the DMRC, to probe the matter. Action will be taken on the basis of the findings of the enquiry committee,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

DMRC sources said the accused has been employed with DMRC since 1998. This is the first time that any DMRC official has been accused of sexual harassment, said officials.