Panel constituted to investigate sexual harassment charges against Special DGP in TN

Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday instituted a six-member enquiry committee to probe allegations of sexual harassment against a senior police officer in the rank of Special Director General of Police (DGP) by a woman IPS officer. The officer Rajesh Das, Special DGP (Law and Order), was also placed under compulsory wait at the office of DGP.

The panel was formed after the woman officer in a complaint to Director General of Police J K Tripathy and Home Secretary S K Prabhakar alleged that Rajesh Das, Special DGP (Law and Order) misbehaved with her while they were travelling together in a car during Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's visit to a central part of the state a couple of days back.

Sources said the woman officer in her complaint said that Das, who was on a visit to her current workplace, alleged that he inappropriately behaved with her when they were travelling in the same car.

The woman officer, sources added, went ahead reporting the incident despite pressure from her colleagues not to persist with the complaint. She is also understood to have de-boarded the car midway after the officer misbehaved with her.

The enquiry committee was formed after the complaint by the IPS officer led to a political uproar with the DMK leading the pack in accusing the AIADMK government of trying to “protect” the male officer, who is considered close to the top brass of the dispensation. DMK President M K Stalin, and party MPs Kanimozhi, and Tamizhachi Thangapandian took to Twitter seeking to how a government that cannot protect its own women officers and protect women.

While accusing the AIADMK government of “covering up” allegations of sexual harassment against IG S Murugan, Stalin demanded that Das be suspended from his post and a criminal case be filed against him.

“The protector also needs protection during ADMK rule. When a woman IPS officer is sexually harassed by a higher-ranked officer and the CM takes no notice of it, what hope do 'ordinary' women have in this regime?” Kanimozhi asked.

The six-member committee will be headed by seasoned bureaucrat Jayashree Raghunandan, and will consist of two more women and three male officers. A notification issued by Prabhakar on Wednesday afternoon said the committee will enquire allegations of sexual harassment against Das.

“The Committee shall take necessary further course of action as per the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (Central Act 14 to 2013) on the said complaint,” the order read.

Hours later, the government said Das has been placed on the waiting list.