Officer who sexually molested and harassed Uzbek women at IGI airport ‘compulsorily retired’

Hooda has been held guilty for indulging in obscene sexual acts in the preventive room where the foreigner were confined and detained.

The government has taken strict action against a former customs superintendent for sexually harassing and molesting two Uzbekistan nationals. The officer, Devender Kumar Hooda, has been “compulsorily retired”, a government notice said.

According to officials, two female passengers, who arrived from Tashkent on the intervening night of May 2 and May 3 last year were detained and confined. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

“The officer’s continuance in service would be a menace to public service and injurious to the public interest,” it further said.

Hooda was held guilty of indulging in obscene sexual acts in the preventive room where the foreigners were confined and detained over suspicion of carrying contraband. The incident took place in May 2019.

Hooda was served the notice on December 21 after a detailed inquiry by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), people aware of the developments said.

According to officials, two female passengers, who arrived from Tashkent on the intervening night of May 2 and May 3 last year were detained and confined on the suspicion of carrying contraband. Both the passengers were confined alone in a room with Hooda and were allegedly subjected to sexual harassment and molestation. Later, one of the female passengers gave testimony to the ICC and identified the officer (DK Hooda) accusing him of “molesting”, and indulging in obscene sexual acts in the preventive room.

The department also concluded that the departmental inquiries and criminal proceedings against Hooda will continue.