FIR sexual harassment against Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh: Allegation does not make a person guilty, says Khattar

[ad_1]

HomeCitiesChandigarhSexual Harassment FIR against Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh: Allegation does not make a person guilty, says Khattar criminal bullying. Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations. In response to a question relating to a female coach’s allegations against the Minister, Khattar said: A sportswoman has made an allegation against the Minister of Sports. But an allegation does not make a person guilty. Police are further investigating the allegations. Chandigarh Police are investigating the matter and Haryana Police are also collecting their report. (Case)

Days after Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh was convicted of sexual harassment by a young trainer, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Monday the allegation did not make anyone guilty.

You have exhausted your monthly limit of free stories.

To continue reading, simply register or log in

You need a subscription to read this story. An Express subscription grants access to all premium stories, and more.

This premium item is currently free.

Subscribe to continue reading this story.

This content is exclusive to our subscribers.

Subscribe to get unlimited access to exclusive and premium stories from The Indian Express.

This content is exclusive to our subscribers.

Subscribe now to get unlimited access to exclusive and premium stories from The Indian Express.

In response to a question relating to a female coach’s allegations against the Minister, Khattar said: A sportswoman has made an allegation against the Minister of Sports. But an allegation does not make a person guilty. Police are further investigating the allegations. Chandigarh Police are investigating the matter and Haryana Police are also collecting their report.

We will go further according to the (survey) report. But he (Sandeep Singh) has distanced himself from the sports portfolio. Being the Department of Sports (Minister), there could be a problem that an impartial investigation does not take place. Now he will not be Minister for the Sports Department so he has been removed from it so that a proper and fair investigation can take place, the Chief Minister added.

On Saturday evening, Chandigarh police had filed an FIR against Singh, a former Olympian, for harassment, forcible confinement, sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations.

For his part, Singh said the allegations were baseless and an atmosphere was created to spoil my image. Singh, who handed over the Ministry of Sports portfolio to the Chief Minister, also holds independent charge of the Department of Printing and Stationery as Minister of State (MoS). However, the Haryana government reportedly stood by Singh’s offer to hand over the sports portfolio to the CM on hold.

Meanwhile, protests took place in several places across Haryana as agitators demanded his removal from the cabinet. Women’s rights activists and opposition parties have insisted that a fair investigation is not possible until the minister is sacked. A khap panchayat also warned the government to remove the minister by Jan. 7 or face unrest.

The junior coach alleged that Singh started harassing her before July 2022. According to her, Singh called her at her official residence in Chandigarh on July 1 under the guise of checking documents and touched her inappropriately and allegedly tried to kiss her. She added that the minister ripped her t-shirt and claimed she escaped an alleged rape attempt by fleeing her cabin.

The coach told Chandigarh Police that she informed senior officers from the Sports Department and Haryana Police about the incident but they did not act saying the matter was in Chandigarh . According to her, the Haryana officers also said that you cannot take action against the minister without proof.

She also alleged in her complaint that Singh kept harassing her and eventually moved her to a remote district.

[ad_2]