HCS officer dismissed from service for sexual harassment

The Haryana Governor has imposed the punishment of dismissal from service upon HCS officer Reagan Kumar following the confirmation of sexual harassment charges against him.

An Assistant Production Manager of Utkarsh Society, Sector 2, Panchkula, had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Kumar on May 29, 2018. The inquiry was entrusted to the Internal Complaints Committee constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The committee had observed that the victim had raised the alarm immediately on coming out of his cabin and narrated the incident to her colleagues, and at the same time, Kumar had rushed outside and left the office. As per the allegations, he had called her for typing and then molested her.

The victim had produced 27 witnesses before the committee. All gave written statements regarding the sexual harassment. The victim also lodged a police complaint as well as a departmental complaint, said the committee.

Following the inquiry report, disciplinary proceedings under Rule 7 of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 2016, were initiated against Kumar on November 30, 2018. Kumar didn’t submit any reply to the chargesheet issued to him.

However, he submitted his representation dated October 7, 2019, qua the inquiry report. After looking into his representation and facts on the file, the competent authority, on February 20, 2023, awarded a punishment of “dismissal from service” to Kumar, which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future employment under the government.

However, before imposing the punishment, the matter was referred to the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) on March 14, 2023, in terms of Article 320 (3) of the Constitution for consultation of the commission.

The commission, vide its letter dated October 10, 2023, intimated that it agreed with the proposal of the government to impose a penalty of dismissal from service upon Kumar.

Meanwhile, he was compulsorily retired from service on January 29, 2025.

The order issued by Under Secretary, Personnel Department, Rajesh Saini, said, “Now, therefore, the Governor of Haryana orders imposing of the punishment of ‘dismissal from service’ upon Shri Reagan Kumar, HCS (retired) with effect from the date of his compulsory retirement, i.e. January 29, 2025, which would operate prospectively.”