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Senior Assam cop under lens for sexual harassment
The three complaints against Abu Sufian (50), presently serving as deputy inspector general, Railways, were forwarded to the internal complaints committee (ICC) for enquiry in April.
Assam Police is investigating a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer posted in the state after his subordinates filed multiple complaints of sexual harassment between 2008 and 2017 against him, officials familiar with the development said on Friday.
The three complaints against Abu Sufian (50), presently serving as deputy inspector general, Railways, were forwarded to the internal complaints committee (ICC) for enquiry in April, more than two months after they were sent to the Director General of Police, Assam, in January 2019. Sufian, originally an Assam Police Service officer, was promoted to the IPS in 2012.
Violet Baruah, a deputy inspector general who is the presiding officer of the ICC said, “The ICC of the Assam Police under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, received complaints from three women. “The accused is a serving official and the enquiry is on,” she said, without naming the accused. A senior member of the ICC confirmed Abu Sufian is being investigated.
According to a police official closely involved with the developments, the matter came to light in January when a woman constable approached the commanding officer of one of the battalions where she is posted, on how she was sexually harassed by Sufian in 2017. After two more victims came out with details of sexual harassment, their complaints were forwarded to the DGP’s office in January.
According to the first victim’s complaint, Sufian, then the commanding officer of the Assam Police Battalion in question, started harassing her soon after she joined in 2017. Her complaint notes how Sufian would call her to his chambers and make lewd gestures. “He would ask me to kiss him and openly ask for sex,” the complaint reads, adding that he even threatened her with dire consequences if she refused to give in to his demands.
The complaint claims that Sufian offered Rs 50,000 and when she declined it, he unzipped “and exposed his private parts.”
“I could only come out and complain in 2019 because he was still serving as the commanding officer after the incident,” the survivor said.
Another survivor, who also served under Sufian, detailed how in 2008 when she was four months pregnant, Sufian, then the commanding officer of the battalion, called her to the chambers and asked for sex. “He told me that if I slept with him he would cancel all my field duties…” this woman’s complaint reads, adding how Sufian even advised her to go for an abortion.
When she protested, Sufian reportedly posted her on guard duties which entailed carrying a heavy rifle and standing for long hours. The survivor claimed that when she could not perform the duties due to her pregnancy, Sufian placed her under suspension.
According to the complainant, she was made to walk six kilometers to attend the roll call every day, despite being under suspension and in an advanced stage of pregnancy. Fearing dismissal, she obeyed. “Sir, I remained under suspension for the entire period of my pregnancy because I refused to love Mr Abu Sufian,” the complaint reads.
The third complainant claims that Sufian, then the commanding officer of the Assam Police battalion she was serving in, started making sexual advances in 2008-09 .The complaint notes one instance when she was grabbed by her waist and had to rush out of the room. The complainant says that after the incident, Sufian grew hostile. This survivor’s complaint claims she had to lose her job because of Sufian’s harassment.
Sufian, meanwhile, said he is not aware of any incidents or complaints. “I do not have knowledge of any such incidents. I do not know about any complaints. Nobody has told me, who gave you these details?” he said.
Kuladhar Saikia, Director General of Police, Assam refused to comment.
