Police oppose discharge plea of Sandeep Singh

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

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Chandigarh, June 12

The Chandigarh Police have opposed discharge application filed by Haryana’s former minister Sandeep Singh in an alleged molestation case registered two years ago.

The police registered a case against the minister on the complaint of a junior woman coach on December 31, 2022 in Chandigarh. In the complaint, the coach alleged that the former minister had molested her at his official residence on July 1, 2022. When she resisted, he pushed her and tore her T-shirt also. She, however, managed to escape.

The police have already filed the chargesheet against Sandeep Singh for the offences punishable under Sections 342, 354, 354-A, 354-B, 506, 509 of the IPC.

The police in the reply filed before a Chandigarh court said keeping in view the sensitivity of the case, a Special Investigation Team was formed for further investigation.

Sandeep Singh was serving as Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Haryana at the time of the alleged incident and at the time of the complaint. During the investigation, it came to light that the victim is a junior coach in the Haryana Sports Department and was appointed on September 2, 2022, under the Haryana Outstanding Sports Person Rules 2021.

The police claimed in the reply that the alleged incident took place at the official residence of the former minister in Chandigarh. The woman alleged she was unfairly transferred to Jhajjar, which led her to file the complaint.

The police said the victim has maintained her primary allegations in all her statements and has also corroborated the same in her statement under Section 164 CrPc. While identifying the scene of the crime, the victim was familiar with the place and pointed out key places. Key witnesses have further corroborated that immediately after the incident, she confided in them about being sexually harassed by the accused. CFSL examination points towards an informal relationship between the accused and the victim, going beyond professional conduct. The police prayed before the court that keeping in view the above facts the application of accused Sandeep Singh may be dismissed and he be put to trial after framing of charges.

Deepanshu Bansal, advocate appeared on behalf of the complainant, also opposed the application of the accused. Advocate Siddharth Pandit, counsel of the accused Sandeep Singh, argued the accused was falsely implicated in the case.

Molestation case

• The police registered a case against the former minister on the complaint of a junior woman coach on December 31, 2022 in Chandigarh
• In the complaint, the coach alleged that the former minister had molested her at his official residence on July 1, 2022