Allegation does not make a person guilty: Khattar accused of sexual harassment against the minister

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday called sexual harassment allegations against Minister Sandeep Singh ‘absurd’ and said a person does not become guilty just because an accusation is brought against her.

He said police are investigating the matter and further action will be taken once the investigation report is available.

Meanwhile, the coach, who appeared before the Chandigarh Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) here during an eight-hour marathon to record her statement, spoke to reporters late in the day. evening. When asked what kind of pressure was being created as she alleged she was getting phone calls from someone, the coach said she was being offered money to take over the complaint. ”’How much money you want back…don’t withdraw your complaint, but keep your mouth shut and get out of the country for 15 days or a month. After a month you will get Rs one crore to keep your mouth shut and later as much money as you want ”- I get such calls,” she told reporters.

Asked about the identity of the caller, his lawyer Deepanshu Bansal, who accompanied him, said all details had been shared with SIT. The lawyer also said any records available with the coach have been turned over to police and his mobile phone has also been seized as part of the investigation. Sandeep Singh relinquished the sports portfolio on Sunday, saying he took the plunge for moral reasons, and claimed the accusations leveled against him by the coach were baseless. However, he had not resigned from the BJP-led ministry in Haryana. “A sportswoman made an absurd allegation (anargale) against the sports minister. But simply making an allegation does not make a person guilty. Police are investigating the allegations. ”Chandigarh Police are investigating the case and Haryana Police are also collecting their report. We will take further action once the (investigative) report arrives,’ Khattar told reporters in Sirohi, Rajasthan, where he had traveled to attend a Brahma Kumaris event.

Khattar said that as Minister of Sports, an issue could have been raised that an impartial investigation did not take place. Therefore, Singh will not remain Sports Minister and he has been removed from his position so that a proper and fair investigation can take place, he said.

”As Minister of the Sports Department, an issue could have been raised that an impartial investigation did not take place. Therefore, he will not remain Sports Minister, he has been removed so that a proper and fair investigation can take place,” the Chief Minister said.

Chandigarh Police on Saturday registered an FIR against the 36-year-old BJP leader accused of sexual harassment and forcible confinement and set up a special investigation team to investigate the matter.

The Haryana Police Chief has set up a committee after Singh filed a complaint against the coach, claiming she tarnished his image.

A “khap panchayat” threatened on Monday to start a major unrest if Singh was not sacked.

The coach, meanwhile, told reporters that she told Chandigarh Police SIT everything in detail.

Commenting on Khattar’s comments on the case, the coach said the chief minister, rather than firing his minister, was making statements that could influence the investigation. ”Why are the Chandigarh police not arresting the minister when he was also convicted under non-releasable IPC sections like 354 B?” asked his lawyer.

He said while the Complainant was questioned four times by the Chandigarh Police, the Minister was not even summoned once so far.

He said the victim will also file his statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (before a magistrate).

The coach said the incident took place in Chandigarh and said the way the Haryana government was ‘supporting’ its minister, there was no way she would appear before the committee set up by the Haryana DGP.

A women’s organization also demanded that the Haryana government institute criminal proceedings against the minister.

Vice President of the All-India Democratic Women’s Association, Jagmati Sangwan, said the guidelines under the Sexual Harassment of Women in the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redress) Act 2013 or the POSH are clear, “an FIR must be registered and criminal proceedings initiated against the accused”.

”The case involves a minister who committed the alleged crime from a position of power. He has not resigned from his post and continues to exercise all the powers of a minister. He is in a position to influence the investigation,” she said.

Sangwan said the committee set up by the DGP of Haryana was going to be useless.

(This story has not been edited by the Devdiscourse team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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