Over 60 sexual harassment cases against Delhi Police personnel

From showing porn film to use of filthy language were among the 62 sexual harassment charges levelled against Delhi Police personnel including an Assistant Commissioner of Police who was "compulsorily retired".

Of these 62 cases registered between 2003 and 2013, accused in eight cases were acquitted and charges in four cases could not be substantiated, according to a reply received from Delhi Police in response to an RTI query.

There were also certain anonymous complaints against police personnel for alleged sexual harassment which were pending enquiries, it said adding that records between 2003-2006 in Delhi Police's security branch were not traceable.

One of the sexual harassment cases was filed against an ACP in 2009 with the office of 1st battalion of Delhi Armed Police, New Police Line, Kingsway camp.

He has been compulsorily retired from service vide an order of Ministry of Home Affairs dated January 21, 2013, Delhi Police said in response to the RTI query.

In a complaint received last year by Police Control Room (PCR) branch, a woman constable alleged that her colleague "used to shown porn film and use filthy language during duty".

A departmental enquiry has been ordered in the matter, the reply said.

In three other complaints (two from anonymous complainant) received last year in the PCR branch, it was alleged that women staff were sexually harassed and experienced "indecent behaviour" from their male counterparts.

Authorities ordered enquiries in all such cases and the same was yet to be completed."There were 13 cases of alleged sexual harassment registered under West District. In one of the FIRs registered in 2003, the accused (constable) expired and the proceedings was abated by court on April 28, 2008," it said.

Sixteen cases of alleged sexual harassment were registered under North West district of Delhi Police against its personnel. The information on the nature of complaint and action taken on them were denied by the authorities citing Section 8 1 (j) of the RTI Act.

The Section bars disclosure of "information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual".

Delhi Police has a committee to look into cases of sexual harassment at work place. "All the cases received in sexual harassment committee are looked into on priority basis," a senior Delhi Police official said.Delhi Police has a strength of about 80,000 personnel.

A complaint was received from a woman constable saying "someone has written bad words on the door of (office) room" of the then Establishment branch 11th-15th battalion under New Police Line, Kingsway Camp in 2010. Following which, an FIR was registered at Police Station Mukherjee Nagar, the reply said.

Seven cases of alleged sexual harassment were registered in North East district of Delhi Police.

"The record of complaints (sexual harassment) from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2006 is not found traceable. However, as per available record from January 1, 2007 to till date, no complaint of sexual harassment has been received against any police personnel," Delhi Police security branch said in its reply.

One of the FIRs filed in Aman Vihar police station under outer district last year by two women constables against their two male colleagues has resulted in compromise."They (accused) were also dealt with departmentally in which they both have been awarded the punishment of forfeiture of three years approved service permanently.

"Later on, they have been acquitted in the said criminal case on the compromise between both the parties," it said.

There were no cases of sexual harassment in Delhi Police's crime branch, Police Training College, Economic Offences Wing, Traffic (headquarters), Special Police Unit for Women and Children, IGI airport, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Provisioning and Logistics, Recruitment cell and licensing branch, according to the reply.