Former Tamil Nadu special director general of police (DGP) Rajesh Das on Friday was convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for sexually harassing a woman superintendent of police (SP) while on duty in February 2021.
However, Das, who has been suspended since 2021, was granted bail by the same court, which gave him 30 days to appeal the conviction.
Viluppuram chief judicial magistrate M Pushparani acquitted Das of charges under sections 506 (threat to cause death, grievous injuries) read with 109 (bribing) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), citing a lack of evidence.
But the court upheld charges under sections 354 A(2) (sexual harassment), 341(wrongful restraint) read with 109 (abets an offence) of IPC and section 4 (abets harassment of suicide) of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, 2002.
A second accused in the case, IPS officer D Kannan, who held the rank of a superintendent of police, was found guilty under IPC section 341 (wrongful restraint) for preventing the woman from entering Chennai while she was on her way to file a complaint.He was let off with a fine of ₹500.
The incident took place when the two were accompanying then Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami during an official visit to Karur district, and set off a storm when it emerged in February 2021, two months before assembly elections in the state.
{{/usCountry}}The incident took place when the two were accompanying then Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami during an official visit to Karur district, and set off a storm when it emerged in February 2021, two months before assembly elections in the state.
{{/usCountry}}According to the woman’s complaint, Das, who accompanied her in a car, harassed her around 7.40pm on February 21, when they were travelling from Karur to Namakkal district.
“He has also been granted 30 days time to go for an appeal,” Das’ advocate K Ravindran told HT. “We will be appealing in the sessions court that he has not committed this offence.”
Das and Kannan were suspended in 2021 on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India. The Madras high court took suo motu cognisance of the case later that year.
On hearing his sentence, Das on Thursday told the court: “I am innocent, I have not done anything which (is) alleged to be done.”
Kannan also said: “I have not done anything.”