E-Paper
Tamil Nadu IPS officer accuses colleague of sexual harassment, inquiry ordered
The IPS officer accused of sexual harassment has been placed under 'compulsory wait' and a committee constituted to inquire into allegations levelled by the woman IPS officer.
An Indian Police Service officer in Tamil Nadu has filed a sexual harassment complaint against her colleague, accusing him of inappropriate behaviour during chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s recent tour to central districts, people aware of the matter said. The home department has set up a six-member committee to probe the complaint against the officer, the people said, requesting anonymity.
Rajesh Das, who was serving as Tamil Nadu’s special director general (law and order) has been replaced by Jayanth Murali, the additional director general in-charge of vigilance and anti-corruption, Das has been placed under compulsory wait, officialese to denote a situation where a civil servant is not given any specific assignment.
The transfer orders came into effect immediately. Das, a 1989 batch officer, was not part of the security meetings conducted ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Coimbatore district on Thursday.
Officials said the alleged harassment happened when the two police officers were on duty for chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s tour to central districts.
HT reached out to Rajesh Das for his comments. He hasn’t responded to phone calls and a text message. This report will be updated when he does.
A senior woman police officer familiar with the details of the allegation said the IPS officer was right to file a formal complaint.
“She has done the right thing by filing an official complaint against another senior officer. Nobody should tolerate this and the government should take immediate action,” she said.
Additional chief secretary Jayashree Raghunandan is the presiding officer of the committee set up by the government to ascertain the facts of the alleged incident, according to the order issued by home secretary SK Prabakar. Four officers from the police department and a member from the International Justice Mission, Loretta Jhona are its members.
“The committee shall take necessary further course of action as per provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 on the said complaint,” the home department order seen by HT said.
Opposition parties took up the issue, using it to attack chief minister Palaniswami ahead of the assembly elections expected to be held in April-May.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin, “The DMK will never allow this disgraceful situation created by the chief minister for women working in the Tamil Nadu police.”
