Haryana minister Sandeep Singh furnishes bail bonds in sexual harassment case

Haryana minister Sandeep Singh appeared before a court here to furnish bail bonds on Saturday, a day after he was granted anticipatory bail in connection with a sexual harassment case registered against him last year on the complaint of a junior woman coach.

Singh appeared before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Rahul Garg to furnish the bail bonds, said his counsel Siddhant Pandit, who was present in the court with the minister's main counsel Rabindra Pandit.

The court of Additional Sessions judge Rajeev K Beri had on Friday allowed Singh's anticipatory bail plea.

The court had directed that the accused shall surrender before the trial court/illaqa magistrate, Chandigarh within 10 days from Friday and furnish personal bonds with one like surety each of Rs 1 lakh to the satisfaction of the said court.

The Chandigarh police had filed a charge sheet in the case last month, nearly eight months after the registration of the case. The case stems from allegations of sexual assault made by a junior athletic coach from Haryana against the BJP leader.

Singh's counsels contended that he has been falsely implicated in this case whereas the complainant's counsel countered it.

Singh has been booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Presently the Minister of State for Printing and Stationery, Singh is a first-time MLA and former India hockey captain.

After he was charged in connection with the alleged sexual harassment, Singh stepped down as the Sports and Youth Affairs minister on 'moral grounds'.